Honor
by CuddleFae
Summary: Air Force Colonel Bo "Stick" Dennis has been called in as a Test Pilot on a special project with Lewis Aeronautics, Inc. The project brings new evidence to a cold case from the Colonel's tragic past and new distractions in the form of a certain blonde engineer. All human. AU.
1. Chapter 1: Rebirth

_**A/N:**_ _This has been dancing around in my head for a while and since the FOW sequel isn't doing much of anything in my head, I thought forcing myself to write would be better than writing nothing at all. Give this a go, if you're so inclined. Thanks again to everyone who reviewed, tweeted, DM'd or otherwise supported The Hunted. I hope you find something you can enjoy in this one as well._

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **HONOR**_

 _ **Chapter 1: Rebirth**_

Bo McCorrigan hated airports. The crowd, the security, the lines, the waiting but most of all she hated the planes. She hated the damn big assed planes that would get her to her destination... slowly. She hated that she had to board a plane in line and sit in a seat that gave her no leg room among the same crowd of people she had just finished sitting with for hours in the airport. Small talk. She hated small talk. She especially hated small talk that became about political opinions. She hated politics. More importantly, she hated politicians and the mess they usually made of things.

Sitting to her left was a guy in a suit with a briefcase that surely held a laptop. He would likely pull it out once the fasten seatbelts sign was turned off and until then she would have to endure some discussion about the political decisions that were being made in some country so was not traveling to and had no knowledge of... not anymore.

She heaved out a sigh and looked out the window at the wing, her mind running through all of the mechanics that made it work. She knew that the pilot was running through his pre-flight check right now and that soon the flaps would start to move telling her take off was a stop closer. The pilot seemed like a nice enough older gentleman who'd meant well when he reached out a hand to her and said,

"Thank you for your service."

It was about the twentieth time she'd heard the phrase today and while she was thankful people took the time to voice it, the phrase was beginning to sound all too rehearsed in light of what she'd seen... of what she'd lost. She forced the unpleasant memories from her mind and instead chose to focus instead on the female co-pilot who stood dutifully at attention beside the pilot when she'd boarded. Bo gave her a wink, the slender, yet well-endowed green-eyed girl with thick curly hair responding with a hard swallow and a shy smile. She wondered for a moment what it would be like if the brunette took her hair out of that tight bun and allowed it to flow over her naked body. Bo chuckled to herself as she watched the wing check in progress,

'Maybe this trip won't be a total wash. Flaps... check.'

Bo licked her lips as she watched the pre-flight safety lecture being given by the flight attendant. For a moment, she wondered if the airline was called Hot Flights, because whoever was doing the hiring for this airline was definitely finding one thing to be a requirement... nice tits and firm, well-defined asses. Then again, it had been a while since Bo had gotten laid. Maybe it was time to scratch that itch. As her eyes raked over the woman's form, she thought this might be the perfect occasion to renew her membership in the Mile High Club. She'd bet anything that the woman smelled like daffodils.

Her attention was drawn from the beautiful flight attendant when the announcement came from the flight deck,

"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your pilot, Captain Jack Pierce. I'd like to welcome you to Flight 287 from LaGuardia to McCarran International. It is our pleasure to serve you. I'd especially like to welcome our military personnel. It is an honor and privilege to carry you to your destination. The ride may get a bit bumpy, but we'll do our best to find you smooth air for your travels. We'll be making a quick landing for those of you catching other flights out of Chicago, but we should board our new passengers quickly and be on our way to our final destination. We're next in line for take off, so sit back, relax and enjoy the flight, everyone."

Bo rolled her eyes as the thank you's began from the people all around her, but smiled tightly and did her best to be polite. These were, after all, the people she had fought for all of her life. If only they knew what was really going on while they were going about their daily lives. Her bigger frustration was that she'd been booked on a flight that wasn't direct. She hated layovers – especially when they didn't give enough time to get out and stretch your legs. Maybe she'd try a bus or train next time. Planes weren't the only method of travel, although she was in the Air Force, so she could understand the logic.

'Thank you for your service' rang in her ears causing her to smile and nod uncomfortably. She hated attention. Correction. She absolutely loathed this kind of attention. Still, it continued with her polite smiles until the plane began to move. She smiled at how quickly everyone's facial expressions changed amidst the knowledge that this was one of the two most dangerous part of the flight. Looking around, she watched as some people leaned back in their seats, others checked the seatbelts of children and others gripped the arms rests tightly.

It was in this moment that Bo could pick out the people who traveled for a living, like mister laptop who was sitting next to her, waiting for the moment he could pull the device out of the seatback pocket and get back to work. He'd been typing away since he'd sat down, grumbling in annoyance when he'd had to stop his work to let her into her window seat. When he saw her uniform, he'd frozen mid-grumble to give her a tense nod. Thankfully, he didn't utter those annoying words.

Bo knew she should be grateful that people did thank her, but she was just... tired. She did the math in her head and figured this was going to be about six hours. Maybe she could bang the flight attendant and then sleep the rest of the way. She sighed, looking out the window as the plane rushed down the runway. Faster... faster... faster... faster... shit. They were up in the air with that lightweight floaty feeling. It was nothing like taking off from an aircraft carrier. There was nothing like the rush of riding a slingshot into the air and traveling fifteen thousand feet into the clouds in twenty seconds. Riding on a commercial airliner felt like riding an 80-year old man.

Bo chuckled to herself. Her little sister Kenzi would be so proud that she was thinking like her. She missed her sister, but since her career in Washington D.C. had picked up, they rarely had a chance to see each other unless it was in security briefings. Bo had chosen to live her life flying Mach 3 with her hair on fire while Kenzi had chosen to get involved in the strategic side of the military after basic training. Military Intelligence was lucky to have her little sister and nobody new that better than Bo. Her little sister's expertise was in the Russian air fleet. She loved their jets and the two of them used to play the Jack Dennis 'Beat My Jet' game the way the other kids in the neighborhood played Madden's NFL games.

"Can I get you anything?"

She turned her head to see the well-endowed flight attendant speaking with mister laptop. He waved her off as if she was a stray fly leaving the woman to sigh with annoyance. She turned her eyes to Bo and smiled,

"The Captain told me whatever you need is on the house. Is there anything I can do to make your flight more comfortable..." she smiled, her eyes traveling to Bo's name plate, "...Officer Dennis?"

Bo smiled, "It's Colonel Dennis, but you can call me Bo."

She reached above mister laptop's head, extending her hand, which Bo took smiling as she spoke, "I'm Angela, but you can call me Angel."

Bo smiled, shaking her head, "Of course I can."

"So what can I do for you, soldier?"

"I'm wondering if I can tour... uh... the cockpit?" Bo asked, her eyes traveling over the woman's form.

"Well the Captain said whatever you want, you get so come on. I'll show you around for a bit. I'm sure sitting in that cramped corner is far from your style."

Bo smiled and nodded, "I'm afraid if I'm cramped in a seat, it's usually the cockpit of a fighter jet going Mach 3. This is a little... slow for my tastes."

Angel smiled, "Well, let me see if I can... liven things up for you. Come on."

Bo smiled, excusing herself to an annoyed mister laptop and continued into the aisle.

"As you know, the cockpit door is locked during flight, so let's see if the Captain can see you." She picked up a phone and spoke to the Captain while Bo's eyes roamed her long, lean neck before dropping to her well-rounded ass. Yes, this could definitely make all of the annoying things she had to deal with on commercial fights worthwhile.

"Come on, the Captain will see you." Angel smiled.

Entering the cockpit, Angel closed the door behind them, introducing Bo to the Navigator, Co-Pilot and Pilot once again. Bo paused for a long moment as she shook the co-pilot's hand.

"Bo."

"Sarah." The co-pilot replied with a smile.

In that moment, Bo wondered if three women could fit in a commercial airliner bathroom. She was shaken from her thoughts by a throat clearing and turned to see Angel, arms crossed staring at the joined hands of the two.

Bo pulled her hand away and smoothed out her pants before turning to the Navigator, "Boy, I wish I could have you in the cockpit with me. I have to rely on a navigational computer. I'd think that having a real person watching the nav console is a bit more reassuring than relying on a computer that could glitch out at any moment."

Bo's voice was nervous as she spoke, but the navigator smiled, "Well, I think the military must have top grade computer equipment loaded into your planes. You fly second seat then?"

She tried not to be offended, but in that moment her anger rose a bit knowing that a female was flying second seat on this airliner as well,

"Actually, no. I'm first seat, but my missions are usually solo... and classified. Returning back to base or at least to U.S. soil is always the most important part of the mission."

"So you're flying the stealth reconnaissance planes?" he pressed.

Bo shook her head, "I'm in fully engaged fighter jet models."

"Damn. Cap'n, this chick's for real. She's flying the real shit."

The Captain smiled, "Yes, Carl. She's flying the real shit."

He turned to Sarah, "Switching to auto-pilot."

The woman nodded as he turned to Bo, "I knew as soon as I saw you. Well, as soon as I saw your nametag, anyway."

"Knew?" Bo asked.

"You're Jack Dennis' daughter. I flew with the General back when we were just Colonel's like yourself. He's be proud of those bars."

Bo lowered her eyes as they welled up with tears. She fought back against the surge of muscle contractions around the orbits before closing her eyes tightly and opening them. She looked up at the Captain,

"So you were friends?"

The man nodded, staring down at his hands as the memories overtook him. Bo knew the look of a solider lost in thought and listened intently as he spoke, "We were and he talked about you and your sister every minute we were on the ground. If he wasn't talking about his daughters, he was talking about his wife. God how he loved that woman." He looked up at Bo, "I'm so sorry for your loss."

Bo nodded, "Yea, cancer is a bitch." She sighed, shoving her hands into her pockets, "I got leave for the service. Now they're sending me to fly test jets until my next deployment."

The Captain smiled, "Taking after your old man, huh?"

Bo smiled, "Yea, but I plan to stay away from the X-2."

"They ended the program after his crash. You didn't hear?"

Bo nodded, "Yea, I heard but apparently some company is reviving the program. New name, same plane according to my sister."

"Ahh, yes. The little spitfire as your Father used to call her."

Smiling, the elder Dennis sister nodded, "That became her call sign. She started out flying experimental aircraft like Dad, but switched to military intelligence."

"A Washington girl, huh?"

Laughing, Bo nodded, "Can you believe it? A Dennis in the backrooms of D.C.. Scary, huh?"

"Maybe she'll set things right."

"You mean my Dad's military record." Bo stated.

"He should have a string of Purple Hearts among other medals, not some damn pilot error as the period at the end of his career. We all know it. The damn suits in Washington don't get it. I'd love to see one of them sit first seat in something that's only been flown in a computer simulation."

Bo laughed, "Wow. When you put it that way, I have to wonder if they're sacrificing me to Arlington."

He smiled, "Any jet jockey worth their salt has done test flight time. It's an honor to be chosen. Hell, even Neil Armstrong did his turn before heading to the moon. Just make sure you read the manuals from cover to cover, run your pre-flight twice, know your mechanics and don't allow anyone to work on your planes you don't know and trust. Most of all, remember that the engineers are paid to get the plane in the air. They know there's always another pilot the Air Force can send over to get in the seat. They care about dollar signs and their planes are their babies. You are merely a babysitter and babysitters are a dime a dozen."

"Advice noted and logged for use, Sir."

He smiled, "I never advanced beyond Colonel. I never re-upped after my wife had our second child. She was getting nervous after Desert Storm."

Bo nodded, "You were with Dad."

He nodded, "We were sent out on a recon mission with permission to engage hostile forces. When we got into a firefight, your Dad was detoured from his recon mission because he was in the Osprey." He chuckled, scratching his head, then replacing his cap, "Talk about a cool bird. Anyway, he was sent to evaluate the damage when word came in that I was shot down and landed behind enemy lines. My team was recalled and your Dad was sent to scope out my wreckage. It was recon only, but he landed against orders and saved my ass, Bo. I still can't believe he spotted me. Anyway, the wife was done after that. She put up the old ultimatum and... well... I loved my kids and my wife, Bo."

"No disgrace in that, Sir. I'm sure if my Mom had ever given Dad that ultimatum, he would have done the same."

"She never would have done that. She knew he had to be up there going like a bat outta hell."

Bo smiled, nodding, "He loved to fly and he wanted us to experience it. Hell, he snuck me into the cockpit of an F-16 when I was just eight."

He laughed, "I know. I was the one covering the paperwork that authorized the flight. As you know now, you don't just go up in a billion dollar plane without a whole lot of permissions."

She laughed, "I never thought of that. How the hell did you guys pull that off?"

"That is a secret promised to the grave, Bo. Sorry."

She nodded, "My Mom hoped that Kenzi and I wouldn't get the bug. She knew it was a hopeless wish, but I think she was always worried."

He nodded, "She called my wife when you were called up after 9/11. Sheila talked her down, but she was definitely terrified of you and Kenzi getting into the thick of things. She'd just lost her husband a few years earlier. She wasn't ready to lose the two of you."

Bo dipped her head to the ground, and swiped her foot across the floor, "Well, at least she doesn't have to worry about us anymore."

'Flight 287, turn left course heading 478. Rough skies ahead. I say again. Rough skies ahead. You have permission to head to 50,000 feet. You should find clean air there.'

"Well, I guess I have to get back to work, Bo. Angel will see you out."

They shook hands, their eyes locking for a moment until they felt the first bump. Bo smiled at him before she released his hand, then turned to Sarah,

"Have fun."

"The passengers don't like it much, but this is where the fun of commercial starts to feel a bit like the old days."

Bo smiled, "You flew?"

She nodded, "Naval Aviator."

Bo laughed, "How is it that a Navy girl ends up sharing a cockpit with an Air Force jockey."

She nodded to the Navigator who waved, "Marine. I flew that Osprey you were talking about earlier. Your Dad is a legend. Sorry for your loss."

Bo nodded, "It was a long time ago, but thank you. Well, I'll leave you to it. Have fun kids."

She smiled before turning back to Angel who waved to the exit and followed Bo out. When she had secured the door, she picked up the PA System microphone,

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the Captain has turned on the seat belt sign. Please return to your seats and fasten your seatbelts. Secure any loose items in the cabin. Thank you."

The Captain came over the PA, "Ladies and Gentlemen, we're about to hit some of that rough air I mentioned earlier. Flight crew, secure."

Angel turned to Bo, "Want to sit up here in the jump seat with me? You seemed particularly uncomfortable back there."

Bo smiled, "That would be fantastic. I have more leg room in the aircraft I fly and that's meant to fit me like a glove so I don't get knocked unconscious."

They settled into the seats as Angel continued, "You should try flying those airlines that have less rows. They're just starting to renew our fleet, so we haven't gotten to those fancy planes yet."

Bo shrugged, "Well, unfortunately, I fly whatever airline Uncle Sam puts me on. We fly no frills. Besides, it's better than sitting in sand, I suppose."

"I wish there was something I could do to make you more comfortable." She said, placing a hand on Bo's thigh.

Bo smirked, looking over her shoulder down the aisle, "I'm sure you can think of something."

Without hesitation, the woman stood and unbuckled Bo's seat belt, pushing her into the galley and pulling the folding door closed,

"We have about ten minutes until the Captain finds clear air and turns off the seatbelt sign."

Bo made quick work of the woman's skirt zipper, letting the cloth drop to the floor before spinning her around, "Waste not, want not... whatever the hell that means."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bo had slept the rest of the flight after renewing her membership in the Mile High Club. It wasn't as great as she'd hoped, but standing in turbulence while trying to dance the nasty isn't the most comfortable of positions. Still, it did the trick. She'd had her release and given as good as she'd gotten. She had apparently slept through the layover and when she awoke, she found that mister laptop was gone, replaced by miss laptop. There was a long, blonde curtain of hair shielding her face from view, but what Bo could see were the reports the woman had apparently dropped on her lap while she slept.

"Uh... excuse me? Your desk would like to use the bathroom."

The blonde mumbled something incoherently to which Bo replied, "Do you want to take the pencil out of your mouth so that I can understand you?"

Frustrated, the woman removed the pencil and repeated, "Seat belt sign. You can't get up."

"Lady, if I don't get up, you will be sitting in a puddle with me." Bo replied.

"Our seats aren't connected, so feel free to do your worst to airline property. I'd think a soldier could hold her bladder for a few more minutes until we've taxied off the runway."

Bo turned to the window to see they were, indeed, on the ground, "Wow. I slept through the entire flight."

"You snored through the entire flight." The woman said, her eyes still on the papers in her hands while she went back and forth between those and her laptop.

"I do not snore."

"You do."

"Do not." Bo replied, watching as the plane pulled up to the gate. Thank God. She could get out of this tin can and into a real plane.

"Are you a child?" The woman asked.

"No, I'm a desk, remember?" Bo replied, still looking at the side of the blonde's head.

"Right." The woman continued to stare at the screen while she reached over and pulled the stack of papers beneath her laptop.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have arrived at the gate and are ready to disembark. We hope you enjoyed your flight. Please be sure to check around you for all of your belongings and thank you for flying Swift Air."

Bo watched as the woman began to pack up her papers and laptop, hurriedly pushing them into her briefcase, then strapping the laptop into place so it was secure. She reached over to the seat next to her and pulled on her jacket before standing to exit the aircraft.

Bo laughed at the empty aisle seat, "She couldn't sit in the aisle seat and put her papers in the middle?"

The woman turned to her, "Aisle seats are not as safe as the middle seat. If you sit in the middle seat of the rear third of the aircraft, you have a 32 precent survival rate."

Bo looked up to find large, beautiful brown eyes staring back at her as her ears were filled with the sound of the most adorable geek out she'd ever witnessed. Kenzi always said she needed to find a lover who would talk dirty math to her in bed – that she would be the one to last a lifetime.

"H-how would you know that?" Bo asked.

"Planes are kind of... my thing. Nice to meet you." She said before turning back, "Oh, and thank you for your service."

And there it was. Talk about pouring cold water on a hot flame. Bo watched as the woman scurried out into the aisle, catching a glimpse of an even better ass than she'd seen earlier on this flight.

It was a known fact that Bo Dennis was an ass woman. She had rated every one she'd ever had the pleasure of getting up close and personal with. Stacey Morgan was still at the top of the list because hers was like two perfectly shaped cantaloupe... no, honey dew... they were much sweeter than cantaloupe. Anyway, as Bo leaned out into the aisle, watching the blonde walk away, she groaned at the opportunity she had just missed. That woman may have well defeated Stacey Morgan who had been on top since that Y2K party she had gone to with her friends after Red Flag training at Nellis. She'd flown all out for three weeks and then found Stacey in a bar after graduation to celebrate... and they celebrated all week long. It wasn't long until she was deployed in 2001 to Afghanistan. From then on, shit got real.

Bo sighed, collapsing across all three seats. She wished she could just fall back to sleep, but it was time to go. She sat up and tucked in her shirt, then stood and walked to the front where Angel was waiting to hand her the rucksack that was too big for the overhead compartments. The woman went to lean in to give her a kiss, but Bo turned her head and attention to the Captain. It was a shit move, but the woman needed to understand that she wasn't available. She was married to her aircraft and that's the way it had to be. Pilots who fly the missions she flies make terrible partners in romance. It was only a matter of time until her world would be shattered by a couple of military guys in full dress uniforms showing up on her doorstep to give her the bad news and her dog tags.

"Well, Colonel, I guess this is goodbye. Thanks again for telling me a little bit more about my Dad."

"You're very welcome, Colonel. They'll always be watching over you and Kenzi, Bo. I really believe that."

"Thank you, Sir." Bo smiled, shaking the man's hand, though his words bounced off her like a dud off the side of a war ship. When her Dad was killed, she'd lost all faith in an afterlife. Dead was dead as far as she was concerned and there was no sense in pretending otherwise. Her parents were gone and with it, all of the joy she'd ever experienced with them. Many people told her to hold on to the memories, but remembering happier times just made her feel like shit.

She turned to Sarah, "It was a pleasure, Captain."

"Thank you, Colonel. Be safe up there." She replied.

Bo smiled, "I make no promises."

The Navigator reached out and shook Bo's hand, "Well, Mach 3 it is, then."

Bo laughed, "Keep them on course, Navigator. Steady as she goes."

He nodded, "Always. Take care."

As she stepped onto the concourse ramp, she took a moment to look back at the five people who now stood smiling and waving at her. She laughed, realizing she hadn't interacted with Rahul behind the initial hello. Still, it was probably the least unpleasant commercial flight she had experienced in some time.

Sighing, she turned away and headed to the next hateful part of her journey – finding transportation to Nellis Air Force Base. Checking her watch, she saw that she still had a few hours before she had to report for duty, so she headed to the Captain's Club and the roast beef sandwich she'd been craving for weeks.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bo leaned back in her chair, her hands going to her full belly. She grabbed her napkin and wiped her mouth before nibbling at the last of the fries on her plate. She then took a huge gulp of water before turning back to the newspaper she had picked up at the newsstand.

"Mind if I join you, Colonel?"

Bo turned to the voice and smiled, "Well, isn't this a small world."

The woman smiled, taking a seat, "I'll take that as a yes then. Roast Beef sandwich?"

Bo smiled, "It's the best. So, co-pilot Sarah, I take it you have a layover?"

She nodded, "I have about twenty-eight hours to kill. I usually go to my room and... nap unless... well, sometimes I'm hungry or... restless."

Bo nodded, "Well, I've got a few hours before I have to report to base if you'd like some company."

"Angel wasn't enough for you?" Sarah asked with a smirk.

Bo blushed. She'd never been caught trying to put her hand in two cookie jars before.

"Bo, I'm kidding. Your body is your business. Just know that Angel couldn't stop talking about you to Rahul and he can't keep his mouth shut."

She rolled her eyes, "Great. Colonel..."

"I shut them up. Don't worry. I reminded Angel that she could be fired for banging a passenger during her work hours and I reminded Rahul that gossiping was unprofessional. I may be the co-pilot in the cockpit, but elsewhere on the plane, I'm their boss."

Bo sighed, "Thanks, Sarah. I really shouldn't have... ya know... but..."

"It's been a while?"

Bo nodded, "A really, really long while. Then with my Mom's funeral and the death of my reel..."

"Oh, Bo. I'm sorry. I didn't know. Was there a crash?" Sarah asked.

"No, no, nothing flight related. He went to the grocery store to get ice cream for his pregnant wife. It was a wrong place, wrong time kind of thing. He was shot and killed by a kid holding up the store. Imagine that. He flies some of the most dangerous missions in the war and survives – even when we were down an engine – but he gets shot by an American kid."

"Damn. That sucks." She replied.

"Yea. So until I get a new reel, I'm heading to the wonderful world of test pilot."

"So the Colonel said you did Red Flag training."

Bo laughed, "I've done them all, actually. Test Pilot School was one of the first I did since it was what my Dad did when I graduated the Academy. I used to love walking through the hangars and watching the latest birds being built. Anyway, I recommended by my squadron leader for Red Flag training and the year after that, I was in Afghanistan. After that, I came home and was sent to Green Flag training and the big wigs there went me on to Air Force Weapons School."

"Wow, so you're WSINT trained too? Aren't you... well-rounded." Sarah said with a wink before taking a bite of her sandwich.

Bo blushed, "I do have quite a few... assets. I'd love to learn more about yours."

"Are we still talking about our military qualifications?" Sarah asked.

Bo laughed, "I think we passed that topic a few words back."

"Agreed. So, you want to get out of here?"

"Are you sure you've taken care of that appetite of yours?" Bo asked.

Sarah laughed, "Not completely. But I don't think this is the place to take care of my... other cravings."

Bo almost died in her chair as she watched Sarah throw sixty bucks down on the table and walk out of the club. Bo stood and pulled on her jacket before turning to the waiter and pointing towards the cash on the table. The young man nodded in reply, signaling Bo she was clear to head for the door.

"Best transfer ever." She said, looking to where Sarah was waving her to an elevator.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bo sat on the end of the bed, pulling on her shoes before going to the mirror across the room and pulling on her dress uniform coat. She would be meeting her new General and was warned he was a stickler for protocol.

"Wow. You clean up nice, Colonel Dennis." Sarah said, wrapping her arms around Bo's waist, but the brunette ducked out of her grasp,

"Don't wrinkle me. My new boss is a real by-the-book kinda guy."

"Got it."

"Just like that?" Bo asked.

"Hey, do you think the Navy doesn't have an Admiral equivalent to your Generals with all of the same quirks?" she asked, placing a kiss on Bo's cheek.

The brunette looked at her cheek in the mirror and wiped at the red mark, "Lipstick will not impress either. Don't ask, don't tell may be gone, but I still don't put my sexuality on display. It's dangerous for my career."

Sarah put her hands up, "Hey, I totally understand. If I were still in, I'd be saying the same thing. Under wraps it is."

Bo nodded, "Yea. Sucks, but it's the world we live in."

"For now." Sarah said, straightening Bo's medals and tie.

Bo smiled, "Thank you."

Sarah stepped back, saluting the other woman, "You look perfect, Colonel Dennis."

Bo turned and pulled together her belongings. She had hoped that Sarah would remain asleep until she left. They'd had a great time... amazing time, actually. Bo had come more times than she could remember, but still, she couldn't start a relationship. Of course, Sarah didn't say she wanted one so... still, she hated this awkward moment... she really needed to work on her getaway game.

"Bo?"

"Yea, sorry. I tend to drift off into my own thoughts sometimes."

Sarah smiled, "Trying to make a graceful getaway, huh?"

Bo turned to her and smiled, "I'm a... just..."

"Bo, look... I like you. We had fun together. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to do it again, but I'm well aware of what fighter jocks are like. I am one, remember?"

A gentle nod and smile followed before Sarah continued, "This doesn't have to be... a thing, but I would like to see you again... have more... fun."

Bo laughed, "Yea, that would be nice."

"I usually come through on this route once or twice a week. So what do you say you give me your number and I call you when I'm in town. No strings, okay?"

Bo smiled, "No strings."

Sarah slid Bo's bag up and over her arm, shouldering it in place before she placed a soft kiss on her lips, "Be safe, okay?"

Bo chuckled, "Yea, well that will sort of be up to the engineers who build my rides, eh?"

Sarah nodded, "I guess so. Just make sure you double up on your pre-flight checks, know your mechanics and..."

Bo turned to Sarah, placing a finger over her lips, "Trust me, I know every precaution I could possibly take and will take all of them. My sister would find a way to kill me a second time if I died due to pilot error like my Dad did."

Sarah frowned, "Bo, listen to the Colonel about that, okay? We talked after you left the cockpit. He really doesn't think it was pilot error, Bo."

"Then what was it, Sarah?"

She shrugged, "He's suspicious of what happened. Apparently something didn't add up in the reports." She sighed, "He thinks there was some sort of cover up."

Bo took a deep breath and let it out long and slow, "Yea, we heard something about that. Honestly, it's one of the reasons my sister went into intelligence. Of course, her teeny body also can't handle the G-forces of jet flight, so she didn't have a lot of options."

"That's a bummer."

Bo nodded, "Yea, she was definitely bummed."

Checking her watch, Bo looked up at Sarah and smiled, "My Uber should be here. I've gotta go. Don't want to be late for my first day with the new General."

Sarah nodded, giving Bo a light kiss on the lips, "Remember, no strings."

Bo smiled, taking Sarah's phone in hand and typing in her number before handing it back, "No strings."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bo walked up to the gate at Nellis Air Force Base and showed her credentials to the guard. He saluted, took the creds and then waved a jeep up to the entrance. Handing back the documentation, he nodded towards the ride,

"Colonel Dennis, Airman Masters will give you a ride up to the barracks, then take you to your meeting. General Flanders and the rest of the test group arrived about five minutes ago."

"Thank you, Airman." Bo saluted again before hopping in the jeep.

As they drove, she looked around the familiar base, asking the Airman to pull over near the flight runway. The young man did as she asked,

"I hear you fly jets, Ma'am."

Bo smiled, "That I do, Airman."

"That's the newly revived X-15 prototype. She's a beauty."

Bo nodded, "Yea, I know her Mom."

The Airman looked at the Colonel, confused, "Mom?"

"Well, some of us female pilots have aviation slang of our own. You see, these planes are our babies. We want them to grow up and succeed, but we're more the Tiger Mom type than the positive-reinforcement type Mom."

The Airman laughed, "That's actually kind of funny."

"Yea. We like it."

"So who's the Mom?"

"That would be Major Tamsin Sorensen." She watched as the plane came to a stop, the pilot pulling back the cockpit glass before the ladder was brought for her eventual exit.

"Word has it she's testing the new version of the Valkyrie."

Bo's eyes went wide, "The XB-70 Valkyrie? There were only two in existence and one crashed. The other is in a museum somewhere. It failed miserably. Why are they bringing it back?"

The Airman laughed, "That's what our Aeronautics Professor told us, but hey, I'm just the transportation around here."

"Right, sorry." Bo smiled, pulling her aviator glasses back into place, "On then, James."

The Airman smiled, "Yes, Ma'am."

She kept her eyes on Tamsin as she exited the plane, hoping to make eye contact with the blonde. Sure enough, she tilted her head, pulling her aviators down her nose to smirk at Bo as she drove by. In reply, Bo responded in kind, the two laughing as they stared at each other over the silver rims of the standard issue lenses.

"Officers Club at Zero-Dark Thirty, Dennis!"

Bo laughed, yelling back, "Make that twenty-three hundred and you've got a deal!"

"See you then!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bo was led into the situation room along with another officer she recognized as a former Airman on board a carrier she had flown from during her time in Afghanistan. Eyeing his bars, she smiled in the knowledge that he had gained grades to Master Sergeant since then. He smiled at her as they walked along, giving salute before he spoke,

"Colonel Dennis, it will be nice to work with you again."

"Likewise, Master Sergeant Manes. It's nice to see more metal on those shoulders of yours."

"Likewise, Ma'am."

"So, are we ready for this?" Bo asked.

Manes laughed, "We have General Hank Green. They say he's getting a bit loopy. I'm not sure exactly what that means, but a buddy of mine told me that everyone who has been brought into this project has requested a transfer. Supposedly some big wig is coming in to determine his future, whatever that means."

Bo scowled, "So are you saying this Green is loony tunes?"

Manes shrugged, "Just the word on the street. I'm new here just like you, Colonel."

"So he's still the man in charge of this project?" Bo asked.

"I'm not completely sure. This big wig they're sending in may be taking over the project, but I guess it depends on what they think of Green's fitness. Here we go." Manes said as the Airman opened the door for his superiors.

They entered the room to find several civilians on one side of the table and a row of military brass on the other side. Apparently, this was a mixed forces operation, so Bo's interest was immediately heightened. She turned to her superiors, saluting as they all waved the two of them off. They took their seats, both sitting at attention as the General turned to them,

"Dennis, Manes. Nice of you to join us. For future reference, when I say rally time is 0900, I actually mean fifteen minutes earlier."

"Yes, Sir." They replied in unison.

"So, Dennis."

"Sir?"

"I flew with your Dad."

Bo's heart sank, "Sir."

"Best damn pilot in the world."

"Sir." Bo said, trying to keep her face from breaking into a broad, proud smile.

"Shame we lost him. Losing great talent to stupid mistakes is a waste of military personnel. You got me, Dennis?"

"Sir?"

A voice that sounded oddly familiar rang out from the other side of the table. Bo's eyes were still on the General, trying to wrap her head around the accusation... or was it an insult... maybe a threat... that he'd said in front of the entire room, but she managed to turn her head towards the voice,

"I think what my... uh... the General... is trying to say is that we want you alive. We realize there are some companies who treat their test pilots like a disposable part of their operation, but here at Lewis Aeronautics, we want our pilots to finish their flight in the same condition as the plane."

It was the blonde hair curtain that used her for a desk on the plane. How the hell did she end up in this room?

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I'm not up to speed on this project. You are?"

"Not up to speed?" The General interjected.

"Sir. I was told that my mission briefing would arrive by courier at my home before my flight departure, but it did not arrive. I hopped on the plane, feeling it would be more important to be present for this meeting than wait for a briefing and be late."

"As it turns out, you were both late and unprepared. How did you make Colonel, Dennis?"

"Excuse me, Sir?"

"I think it was a simple question, Dennis."

"I believe my record speaks for itself, Sir and if I'm correct, my service record is in the third file down in your pile of neatly stacked papers. Feel free to pull it out if you'd like the history of my promotions, Sir."

The General counted down three files and smirked, "Observant, but I believe you just talked back to your Commanding Officer. Did you just talk back to your Commanding Officer, Dennis?"

"That was not my intent, Sir. I just wanted to give you the information you needed to answer the question asked, Sir." Bo sat, her back perfectly erect while her eyes remained set on the table before her. She now understood the rumors Manes had mentioned. This guy was definitely a section eight and she was brought here to work under his command. Great.

The blonde stood, "If you'll excuse me, General, I've got a schedule to keep today. If you would like to discuss qualifications with your personnel, I could come back at a later date, but we poured through hundreds of pilot service records until you, personally, decided on Colonel Dennis. Now, if you want to get on with the program, then I suggest we get on with the briefing. Besides, I'm pretty sure the failure of Colonel Dennis to receive the mission briefing would have been the fault of your office or my own, so let's not get caught up in semantics. The purpose of this meeting is to review the mission briefing."

She nodded to a young man Bo assumed was her assistant. The man responded by standing from the table and walking to Bo to give her a copy of the mission briefing marked highly confidential.

"Master Sergeant Manes, do you have a copy of the brief?"

"No Ma'am. Mine did not arrive either." He replied.

The blonde scowled, looking at her assistant, "Martin, leave now and track down those briefing copies. I want... no, I need to know where they are. General Green, Martin may need a ranking military officer if the copies made it to your office."

"Dr. Lewis, are you insinuating that I lost the briefing copies?"

Bo smiled as a name was finally attached to the blonde who was clearly trying to run interference for her with the General. Maybe she could forgive the use of her body as a desk while she was sleeping. Doctor Lewis. It was more of a title than a name, but at least now she wouldn't have to refer to her as the blonde curtain who used her as a desk. That was a bit of a mouthful, after all.

Bo watched as the doctor smiled at Green, "No, General. I'm insinuating that the chain of command was broken and those copies were redirected. It would be negligent to perform a test flight until we are sure the briefings were not stolen."

Bo's eyes went wide, "You're talking security breach?"

The Doctor turned to the brunette, "I'm afraid so, Colonel. We can't rule out that possibility. As I said, Lewis Aeronautics does not take chances with its pilots or its planes."

Bo nodded, opening the briefing as Martin left the room with a Lieutenant the General sent to accompany him as the doctor had requested. She took a quick glance at Manes who shrugged and rolled his eyes before opening the briefing as well.

Bo looked down and paged through the confidential oaths of the document before reading the cover page at the guts of the report,

'Project Resurrection'

She turned the page and froze, her blood running cold as her entire body shuddered before going completely rigid. There on the page in front of her were the words that had changed her life forever,

'X-2 Starbuster'

"Uh... excuse me. Sir? Dr. Lewis?" Bo spoke, barely able to pull her eyes from the page to look up to the people she wished to question about the project.

The two turned to look at the Colonel, Dr. Lewis looking at Bo over the top of her reading glasses while the General smirked and said,

"Something wrong, Dennis?"

"Are you kidding me?" Manes said unexpectedly, "This plane is a disaster."

The General snapped back, "I'd remind you that you were hand-picked for this mission, Manes. To refuse it would be career suicide."

But Manes persisted, "With all due respect, Sir, I'm more concerned about Colonel Dennis committing suicide by test craft than my career at this moment."

"Mind your mouth, Master Sergeant." The General replied.

The Doctor interrupted, "No, General. This briefing is to get the opinions and ideas of all involved in this project. We agreed that this meeting would be conducted as one of the business world, not the military."

"Well, this program is good business, Doctor. To keep these planes locked up in a museum is a waste of our best ideas and technology."

"Agreed, however these planes were locked up in a museum for a reason. It is my intention to make these aircraft viable for flight and when I say viable, I mean safe." The Doctor argued.

"No flight jockey is ever fully safe up there. While we don't want to go crashing aircraft and costing the taxpayers billions of dollars, we do need to continue to advance our flight arsenal to compete with the arsenals of the world."

The blonde's frustration was growing, "That is a completely different topic, General."

"No, Dr. Lewis, it is the very reason for the existence of this program!" The General replied, slamming his fist down on the table.

"Are you trying to intimidate me, General?" The blonde asked.

Taking a deep breath, the General replied, "No, of course not. I'm just trying to passionately make my point."

Doctor Lewis laughed, "I see. And your point is that you want me to push the envelope and put your pilot at risk for the sake of having yet another jet that can go Mach 3 so you can keep up with, catch up with or counter any potential enemies that attack our homeland, correct?"

"There is always risk."

"Calculated risk, yes but not blatant risk, like the original X-2. You have a whole arsenal of planes that can attain Mach 3. Why do you need this one?"

Bo's attention was peaked with the Doctor's comment, "Dr. Lewis, are you saying there was something wrong with the original X-2?"

The blonde began, "Well..."

"I'm sorry, Colonel, but Dr. Lewis is about to discuss something above your security clearance." He turned from Bo to the blonde, "Doctor, we'll table this discussion for a later date."

"But General, surely the test pilot has a right to know..." she began, but the General cut her off,

"She has a right to know the things she needs to know about the newly redesigned X-2, yes I agree."

"That is not what I was going to say and..." the Doctor began again,

"Doctor Lewis..."

"General..."

"Lauren! That's enough!" The General slammed both hands down on his desk as he stood, towering over the blonde.

Bo and Manes snapped to attention in their seats as the room went deathly quiet. The two leaders were leaning across the table, their glare fixed on one another until Bo finally broke the silence,

Bo stood, "So... it's Lauren, is it? Nice to meet you." Bo said before turning to the General, "With all due respect, Sir, I would like to state for the record that I believe you are acting in a manner unbecoming an officer."

The General turned away from the Doctor, his full attention now on the Colonel, "How DARE you!"

Bo remained standing, holding her ground as the General keyed on her, "I have a right to state my opinion for military record, Sir. You are using both emotional and physical acts of intimidation on a civilian you are, by oath, sworn to protect and defend. I would like it noted for the official record of this meeting."

Bo turned from the General and nodded to the Airman who sat in the corner of the room taking down the meeting notes. The woman nodded to Bo in reply, making note of her concern for the record.

"I would like noted for the record, Colonel Dennis' blatant insubordination." He turned to the Airman who nodded, glancing at Bo when he turned away. The brunette nodded and smiled at the Airman before turning her attention back to the table. Bo returned her attention to the briefing, but the General wasn't finished,

"Dennis! I'm talking to you!" He took two steps and stood, looming over Bo.

"Sir?" She asked.

"I'm writing you up for insubordination! Do you hear me?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Don't you have anything to say about that?" the General demanded.

"You're my superior officer, Sir. You can do as you please." Bo replied, desperately fighting to keep herself calm and emotionless.

"Drop and give me twenty, Dennis!"

Bo sat for a moment, shocked at the request, but decided it best to heed his request. She dropped to the floor and began to comply when she noticed a pair of black shiny shoes beneath her chin,

"Dennis? What on earth are you doing?"

Bo kept her head down and continued, counting out her effort as she replied, "The General has given me twenty, sir. I'm complying with a direct order."

"Dennis, get your ass up. This is a briefing, not a daggone basic training exercise."

Bo stood to find her old Commanding Officer standing before her. She smiled, at the additional stars on his shoulders before saluting the older gentleman,

"General Walker, it's good to see you, sir. Congratulations on those new stars."

The man smiled, "Dennis, it's nice to see you as well. I see you've added some new bling as well."

Bo laughed as she took the offered hand and shook it. He smiled, "We're glad to have you aboard, Dennis. I assure you that Dr. Lewis here is the best astrophysicist in the business."

"Astrophysicist?" Bo asked, looking at Lauren, "But I thought you were a Doctor."

Lauren smiled, "I am... just not the kind you think. I'm a doctor of the PhD variety. I'm well known in the military for my work as an Astrophysicist, but I also have a Doctorate in Aeronautical Engineering. I've just diverted my attention from space flight to flight a little closer to Earth. There's a bit of a learning curve, but I've got a fantastic team."

"Well, I certainly hope so." Bo said as she placed her fingertips over the brief on the tabletop, and looked at General Walker, "So, the X-2, huh?"

"Dennis, I know it must have spooked you to see that, which is why I intercepted these." He tabled his briefcase and pulled out two copies of the briefing, "Sorry, Doctor Lewis, but I believe there's some history here that you were not made aware of... at least, not all of it." He glared at General Green before turning back to Bo, "I'm sorry, Dennis. I wanted to be here before you arrived so that you and I could take a moment alone in the hallway. Shall we?"

Bo hesitated, looking at General Green, but General Walker shook his head, "I outrank Green. Don't worry about him, he woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, right Green?"

"Sir." The General replied, sitting down in his seat.

Bo looked across the table and could have sworn the Doctor looked upset for a moment. Her gaze traveled to General Green's before she lowered her eyes to the rolled up scrolls of paper in front of her. General Walker turned back to the room,

"Ladies and Gentlemen, if you'll give us about ten minutes, we'll resume. Dr. Lewis, if you could ready your presentation, we'll continue upon my return without delay. I want to see what you and your team have come up with. I've heard you feel the prototype shows great promise."

"Yes, Sir." Lauren replied, standing nervously before sitting, then standing again.

God, she was adorable, Bo thought to herself as she moved out of the room with General Walker. He led her down the corridor until they were alone. Looking left then right, he spoke to Bo in a soft voice,

"Dennis, I've reopened the investigation into your Father's death."

"Sir?"

"I can make no promises, but something Green said when we began this program just didn't sit well with me. So, behind his back, I set into motion a thorough examination of the aircraft crash remains as well as the plans from the original build. It just made sense to use Doctor Lewis to handle the investigation since she was going to have to look at all of that history anyway. I told her it was absolutely confidential, but I just learned that Green has been limiting her access. I'm going to assume command of this program and send Green for a complete physical including a competency hearing."

"Sir."

"I heard and saw everything that was going on in that room, Dennis. We had eyes and ears on. Once I saw him yelling at his own daughter the way he did, I knew there was something..."

"Daughter? Sir?"

"Right. Doctor Lewis is General Green's daughter. He never married the woman, so she carried her Mother's name. They've just reconnected after decades apart. Lauren's mother was killed in a car accident, so when she was about twenty-five or so, they got back in touch when he ran into her at a NASA event."

"So I guess this is a bit awkward for her?" Bo asked.

"Not really. Doctor Lewis is the one who called me about his recent behavior. She said she was concerned about him making decisions that might put the health and well-being of soldiers at risk. She was wildly against Resurrection until she began to comb through the flight designs. Bo, she found structural design flaws but she needs more evidence before she will have definitive proof."

Bo hated to get her hopes up, but this was the best news she'd had in years, "So she could prove that it wasn't pilot error?"

"That is my hope." General Walker replied.

"So, I'm really going to be the test pilot for the new X-2?"

General Walker smiled, "The new and improved X-2. We'll be renaming it eventually, but for now it's my hope that we can take a bad name and turn it into something good."

Bo smiled, feeling a little better about... well, everything... especially the fact that General Green would no longer be her commanding officer. She felt bad for Lauren, but that feeling was dimmed by the knowledge that the blonde had been the one to refer her Father to his superior. He walked with the General back to the situation room, catching up on what they'd been up to over the years since Afghanistan, but were quickly back to reality.

"You ready?" The General asked.

Bo smiled, "Yes, sir."

"Ask questions. Lots and lots of questions."

"Yes, sir."

"If there's anything you're not comfortable with or calculations you want double checked, you've got it. If you don't feel safe on the ground..."

"I won't feel safe in the air." Bo smiled.

"Right and that could impact your judgement when you fly, so no holding back. You have a right to know."

"Thank you, General." Bo replied as he opened the door and entered the room, motioning for Bo to take her seat.

General Walker, on the other hand, tapped General Green on the shoulder and asked him for a word in the corridor. Everyone sat silently in the room, Bo chancing glances at the blonde whose pen was inserted sideways between her lips again. She couldn't figure out what it was, but there was something about this woman that just pulled her in. She could watch her work for days and not get bored.

General Walker re-entered the room without General Green, "My apologies for the delay. I've assumed command of Project Resurrection and will be streamlining this team to have the pilots work together as well. There's no sense in having all branches of the military represented as well as all of the physicists and engineers, but not all of the pilots. I'm sure that Colonel Dennis would love to have more pilot eyes and ears on this briefing."

Lauren spoke, "Sir, I was told that I could not have more pilots due to confidentiality. Is that not a concern anymore?"

"Confidentiality is of the utmost concern, Doctor Lewis, but there is not a pilot in Project Resurrection that is not aware of the importance of secrecy here. If the specs of our planes ventured outside of this facility, they would be as useful to us as the original iPhone would be to a civilian."

The doctor nodded her understanding, "So, are we ready to begin then?"

"We're just waiting on three pilots. Once we have them, we're good to go. I sent the Airman at post after them. They should be here any minute."

Just as he finished, the door opened and three pilots walked in, still wearing their flight suits. Bo smiled at the group, relieved at the experience that had just joined the briefing.

"Everyone, I believe most of you know these pilots, but I'll introduce them anyway. This is Naval Aviator Lieutenant Hale Santiago, Air Force Captain Mark Thornwood and Air Force Major Tamsin Sorensen. Army Captain Sam Evans and Marine Captain Seamus Williams will be joining these briefings as well, but they are currently in maneuvers and could not be present. Last but not least, there will be a team from D.C. joining us from the Intelligence Community. They were supposed to be here today, but their flight was delayed. They should arrive for tomorrow's flight tests."

Bo turned quickly to the General, "I go up tomorrow?"

"That's the plan unless we find a problem here today." The General confirmed.

"Do I get sim time?" Bo asked, looking between the General and the Doctor.

Lauren replied, "We do have a simulator available for your use, yes. My plan was to go through the briefing, take you over to the hangar so you could see the bird and walk through her with Manes who will be your lead mechanic if that suits you, then head over to the simulator. Of course, depending on how long all of that takes, you can take a break for lunch or dinner... or both. I'll be at your beckoned call so we can work around your schedule."

Bo smiled, "Well, as much as I'd like to have you as my beckoned call girl, I don't want to inconvenience you either."

Lauren shook her head, "This plane... all of them... but this one imparticular is like a child to me. I've poured my heart and soul into this project for almost five years now. I want a fully fed and rested driver to procure the best possible result. If I lose a little sleep or miss a meal, the plane won't crash. I have a whole team backing up my calculations. You, on the other hand, are the only one flying the plane."

"No second seat?" Bo asked.

General Walker replied, "We took it out. One of the things that the design team wanted from the start was to make the plane lighter. You will see a much different plane than the one your Father flew, Dennis."

Lauren's head snapped up, "I'm sorry General. Did I hear you correctly? Her Father?"

General Walker cocked his head at Lauren, "Well, surely your Father told you when he hand-picked Dennis for this particular job that the Colonel's father was the pilot who died in the crash of the original X-2, didn't he?"

Lauren's brow furrowed as she looked nervously between the General and Bo before she finally spoke, "I'm so terribly sorry for your loss. I promise you this is a very different plane."

Bo nodded, "So you do believe the plane had issues before it crashed?"

Lauren shook her head, her eyes traveling to the General who simply said, "I'd remind everyone in this room that this briefing is classified under the highest military level and to utter even a word about anything said here outside of this room would be high treason against your country. Understood?"

A verbal 'aye' resounded around the room as the General spoke,

"Doctor Lewis, please speak freely."

She looked at Bo and swallowed hard, "It is the opinion of my company that this plane never should have been permitted in the air. We are still researching, but we've come to a stand still. I was directed to a girl by the name of Kenzi Malikov to get permission for what I need to finish the investigation, but she has refused to take my calls."

The General looked at Bo as did Tamsin. She looked up at them, then back at the Doctor who seemed confused by all of the staring that was going on.

"Does someone want to tell me what I'm missing here?" The Doctor asked.

Bo shook her head, "Kenzi is my sister. She works in the Intelligence Community, so her name was changed to our Mother's maiden name to separate us in all military records."

"So you can't be used against each other if either is captured on a mission." Lauren nodded, her eyes leaving Bo's and landing on the paper in front of her. She thumbed the edges for a moment before passing it across the table to Bo, "That's the request form I sent her. She was upset and would not discuss the matter with me."

Bo looked down at the form and frowned, "You... you want to exhume my Father's body for study?"

Lauren nodded, "I'm sorry... believe me, I am. But having his remains would allow me to study the forces inside the cockpit pre-impact that were not included in the report. It's the missing piece of the puzzle about the pilot's final moments." She folded her hands in front of her, speaking quietly, "It would finally give you the answers I'm sure you've been seeking."

Bo looked up at the General, "The casket was closed. We were told his body was essentially vaporized."

The General shook his head, "Then why the casket, Dennis? What was buried?"

Bo sat, stunned for a long moment before she looked at Lauren, "You think something was buried in the casket?"

She shrugged, giving a slight shake of the head, "Honestly, I'm not sure. I'm following a hunch. There are some pieces of the wreckage that were never found... supposedly burned up on impact and combustion, but... well, the temperature estimates from the fire and the types of metals... well, it just doesn't add up and I..."

Bo nodded, essentially cutting off her explanation before picking up the pen, signing the form and giving it back to Lauren. She then turned to the General,

"I was young. I didn't ask any questions. I guess it's time I got answers to the questions I have now."

The General nodded, "Do you need a minute?"

Bo sighed, "No. Let's get this briefing started. Everyone has waited long enough."

"Colonel, I'm sure that we would all..."

"Thank you. That's very generous, but... I'm good... really."

Nodding, the General turned to the Doctor and signaled her to begin. She looked at Bo for a moment before looking down at the table in front of her. Sighing, she gave one last glance to the pilot who returned her gaze with a tight smile, letting the Doctor know it was time to begin. Lauren gathered up the large technical drawings and rolled them out across the table before she stood and turned on the projector. Large images of the X-2 came up on the screen, causing Bo to physically shudder... something that did not go unnoticed by the presenter. Lauren sighed, looking away from the pilot and began,

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the new X-2 Starbuster. We believe we have built a lighter, faster, more agile and more capable aircraft than the original. Naturally, with speed comes G-forces and a greater possibility of pilot error, but the technology in this aircraft makes it much easier for a pilot to avoid errors that may be life threatening. Let's get to it, shall we? If you'll turn to page five in your briefing, you'll see that the new X-2 is capable of much greater speeds..."

Bo watched Lauren's mouth move, but her eyes were zeroed in on the plans she had waited so long to see. There, before her eyes, was a side-by-side comparison of the old plane her Father had flown and the new one that she would fly. It was an ironic and yet full circle moment for Bo. Maybe it was fate? As she looked more closely, she realized that the two jets were completely different. She studied the old design... there was a flaw, she just new it. It was in this very moment that Bo decided she would clear her Father's flight record and restore his good name.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The briefing ended and the room emptied out quickly. Bo and Tamsin made their way out into the hallway,

"Are we still on for drinks tonight?" Tamsin asked as she started for the exit, but when she realized Bo wasn't next to her, she stopped, "Hey! Dennis!"

"Wh-what?" Bo asked, her head snapping up to see Tamsin staring at her with a questioning gaze, "Sorry. I'm just... forget it."

Tamsin took a few steps back towards the other pilot and stopped, her arms crossed over her chest, "Come on then... spill it."

"Really, it's nothing." Bo smiled, "We still on for drinks tonight?"

Tamsin laughed, "Wow, I forgot to ask. Sure. Drinks it is. Now talk. You're not going up in that new toy before you clear your mind."

Bo nodded, "Right. I just can't stop seeing the plans for the old X-2 in my head. Did you see anything unusual about the design?"

Tamsin shrugged, "I'm no engineer, but Blondie in there is. I'd suggest we leave the designing of things to her."

Bo looked back over her shoulder and sighed, "I know, but... can I trust her?"

"Has she given you a reason not to, Bo? Besides, you haven't even met the guy who built your F-16, but you still fly it." Tamsin asked.

Shaking her head, Bo replied, "Right. I guess I'll find out when I fly that plane."

Tamsin shook her head, "Bo, if you have questions, go ask her. That's what the briefing was for, but you just sat there like a stone the entire time."

"What?" Bo asked.

"You didn't ask one question, Bo. Manes and I did all of the questioning."

"Right." Bo replied, "I noticed. Thanks for looking out for me."

Tamsin sighed, "You know I've always got your back, Bo but are you sure you should be going up in that sweet new ride?"

"You don't think I can handle it?" Bo asked.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. I didn't say that. You are the best pilot here and we all know that. No one is questioning who should be in that seat. It's just that... well, you're really close to this one and..."

"I know. Believe me, I was as shocked as anyone that my name was pulled for this particular plane. I think it was the General."

"General Walker?"

"Yup. He said General Green picked me specifically. He seemed surprised by that, but I don't know why. I'm telling you, there's something going on. I mean, the fact that they brought me here and delayed my deployment specifically for me to do this test flight when there are other pilots. It's all just... suspicious."

Tamsin shrugged, "Well, keep your eyes open and your spidey senses tingling then. Still, I think you start in that briefing room with the hot blonde. She knows stuff, Stick. What's the harm?"

Bo nodded, "Fine. I'm going to go in there and talk to her. See you later for drinks?"

"You'll see me sooner than that, Stick." Tamsin smirked.

"Oh yea? And where exactly will I see you, Hawk?"

"I'll be the one on your wing."

Bo smiled, "No shit!"

"Yea, girl! The General asked me to fly observation on your wing for the first flight. I've got your back, Stick... promise. First sign of trouble, you're punching out."

"Now we both know that is not an option... punching out means crashing the Doctor's precious billion dollar baby."

Tamsin laughed, "A billion five, actually."

"Great! Even better!" Bo said, waving her arms up and down.

"Go see the Doc, Bo. Ask her what you want to know. Be direct and don't beat around the bush. It's like the General said, you have a right to know everything there is to know about that aircraft."

Bo nodded, "Thanks, Tam. I'll see you for wheels up."

Turning to face the entrance to the situation room once more, Bo straightened her jacket and smoothed her hands down her pants before heaving a heavy sigh and walking into the room. She cleared her throat to get the Doctor's attention,

"Colonel Dennis? Do you have another question? Oh, wait... you didn't ask any questions which, by the way, I found particularly interesting since all of the other pilots had them but the one who is actually flying my plane did not. Care to explain?"

"No offense, but I don't believe I need to explain myself to you at all. You're not my commanding officer. You're the engineer. I trust that the military powers that be would not allow me to get in that hunk of tin unless you did your job at least as well as I do mine."

The Doctor laughed, "Wow. A cocky pilot. What a surprise."

Bo scowled, staring down at her hands, "Look... I'm... sorry."

"Big apology. Another surprise."

"You know what? Forget it." Bo said and turned to leave, but as soon as she gripped the door handle, she stopped and turned around, "Actually, your job is to answer my questions, so I'm going to ignore your digs and get to the point."

Placing her hands on her hips, the blonde's eyebrows knit together, "Now you want to ask questions?"

"Yes. I'm sorry if my timing is bad for you, but... well, you wouldn't understand. Just... can I ask you a question or not?"

Sighing, the blonde folded her arms over her chest, "The floor is yours."

"Do you think my Dad's plane was tampered with?"

"Excuse me?"

"The X-2. I know you know it was my Dad's plane... the original. General Walker told me you've re-opened the investigation which is why you want those parts I signed for, so is that what you're looking for?"

Lauren lowered her eyes, fumbling with a pen that was atop the pad of paper by her laptop, "I uh... well, it's certainly a possibility."

Bo nodded, "I've thought there was fowl play ever since the program began. It's the only plane my Dad and I never spoke about even though it was supposedly going to change our national defense capabilities forever... General Malone's words, not my Dad's."

"General John Malone?" Lauren asked, writing down the name.

Nodding again, Bo replied, "He was the five-star in charge of the program at the time."

"I didn't know that. There is not a single piece of documentation with his signature on it."

Bo scowled, "That's strange. I mean, as a kid I remember him being handed clipboards with papers to sign while he stood next to my Dad."

"We don't know, Colonel. He could have been signing something for another project even though he was talking to your Dad."

"I guess so. I just..."

"Need to know." Lauren replied.

Bo nodded, "Exactly." She paused before adding, "Look... I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to be so... such an ass."

Lauren smiled, "Me either."

"It's just... when you pulled up that side-by-side comparison of my Dad's plane and the one I'll be flying, it was just... like a time warp. Then, with my Mom passing recently, well... it was just..."

"The past slapping you in the face?"

"More like pounding my face with a fist." Bo smiled.

"Colonel Dennis, there is a quote in a book that was written by your Father, are you aware?"

"Please, I beg you. Call me Bo? I mean... that is if my assumption that you aren't actually military personnel is correct. It's just that... well, I get so little time with civilians and when I do, it's nice to do normal, ya know?"

The Doctor smiled, "I'm not sure I've ever known what any sort of normal, but no, I'm not military... well... not me, anyway. I mean, obviously my Father is a General, but my Brother, Aunt and Uncle... well, there's a few. My Father is the highest ranking and he can be... difficult."

"Condolences."

The Doctor smiled, "Thank you. It's not all that bad, really. I mean... I've had the chance to live in many places and learn so much about the planes that have always fascinated me."

Bo nodded, "Yea, I know the life. I used to ride my bike out to the end of the runway at night and wait for the jets to land just so I could watch all of the lights and hear the rush of the engines. Yea, flying is in my blood, I guess. I've always wanted to be up there."

"My experience was a bit different. My Dad used to have the gear heads in the hangars babysit me when he had to fly. There was this guy named Scottie who worked on the engines. Ironically, he was into Star Trek just like me and..."

"Ironically?" Bo asked.

The blonde laughed, "I take it you're not familiar with Star Trek?"

Bo shrugged, "I mean, I've seen the new movies, but never watched the old show."

"Or the old movies? Wrath of Khan? None of them?"

Laughing, Bo replied, "Am I breaking some important right of passage for a pilot?"

"Absolutely!" She laughed in reply.

"Well, I'll have to find the series on Netflix somewhere." Bo smiled, brightly.

The doctor smiled in reply, "Good idea, Stick."

"Wait, you know my call sign?"

"It's my job to know everything there is to know about you, Colonel. You're about to fly in one of my planes."

Bo smiled, "You mean I'm about to fly in your baby."

"That's exactly how I feel about her." She replied.

"You know, I can't speak for the men, but me and the other female pilots think of the planes as our babies as well. She'll be in good hands with me, Doc."

"Thanks. I have no doubt. You come from a long line of hero pilots, after all."

"So, you said you know of my Dad's history and something he said?"

"Well, the one I really like is _'Truly superior pilots are those who use their superior judgment to avoid those situations..._

" _...Where they might have to use their superior skills._ " Bo finished, shaking her head, "Yea, I remember that piece of advice."

"You must have loved him very much." The Doctor said, noticing the reminiscent look on the pilot's face.

Bo nodded, "He wasn't just my Dad... he was my best friend. I mean, I loved my Mom, but when my Dad was home, it was always me and him building model planes or soap box derby carts or launching rockets we built. Of course, there was always flying model airplanes, riding ATV's, rock climbing..."

"Really adrenaline junkies, huh?" She smiled.

"Yea. I guess so. My Mom called us two peas in a pod."

"How about you and your parents?" Bo asked, ready for a change of subject when she felt her throat tighten over memories of her parents.

The Doctor shrugged, "My Mom is... well, she's a General's wife. She takes care of the things she's obligated to take care of... planning luncheons, watching out for the partners of the soldiers, helping with housing and financial issues when the spouses are away... that sort of thing."

Bo nodded, "Yea, I heard General Green is your Dad."

Nodding, Lauren replied, "He is and... well, I'm sorry for his behavior in there. He's been a bit... off... lately. He's been under a lot of pressure in this program and... well, he was against the X-2 from the start, so..."

"How far from the start? The first one?" Bo asked.

Lauren shrugged, "We don't talk much about that. He is a pretty by-the-book guy and the crash is classified. I only know what's in the reports. Still, whenever I bring it up, he seems to tense. My Mom told me to just give him space. I think she's struggling with the changes that come with being the wife of a guy who has stars."

Nodding Bo smiled, "I can't imagine being a military person's spouse. Of course, once you are... well, I remember how much of a change it was for my Mom after Dad died. We had to move off base and live among civilians. She said it was the first time she'd lived off a military base since she was my age. For me, it was the first time I'd ever lived off base."

The Doctor chuckled, "I know that feeling. When I left for Boston, I was so excited to be getting off base, but once I got to campus, I instantly felt out of place. My roommate commented on the way I made my bed. I didn't understand why until I noticed hers." She laughed, "I spent all of my college years throwing quarters at my bed to make sure they didn't bounce just so I wouldn't look like such a nerd."

Bo laughed, "No offense, Doc but I'm pretty sure you are a bit of a nerd."

"Hey!"

Bo waved her off, "You're a great nerd! I love nerds! I mean... uh... your nerdiness is going to keep me alive up there... hopefully."

"Hopefully?" The Doctor asked, mocking offense.

Laughing, Bo replied, "Well, it all depends on if your nerdy enough."

The two laughed together, each holding eye contact with the other for a long while before the Doctor cleared her throat,

"So, is there anything else you need to know?" Lauren asked. 

Bo shook her head, "I think I've learned enough for now."

Lauren, "I promise, Colonel. I will do everything in my power to get to the bottom of what happened to your Dad."

"Thank you. I do not have the words to express what that means to me." Bo replied.

"Then maybe you have the time to share lunch with the new kid on the block?" Lauren smiled.

Bo's mouth dropped open, but she recovered quickly when she saw disappointment flash every so briefly on the woman's face,

"Come on. I'll introduce you to the rest of the gang." Bo smiled.

"Oh, if you're having lunch with your fellow pilots, I wouldn't want to interfere." Lauren said, picking up her papers and tightening her jaw.

"Not at all. It's just Tamsin and Mane. It's a little ritual that we eat together when we work together."

"Oh, I didn't realize you all knew each other." Lauren replied as Bo held out her arm to exit before her.

"Tamsin and I flew together in Afghanistan and Manes worked on the carrier we flew off of for a time."

"I didn't know Air Force flew off of Navy carriers." Lauren replied.

Bo shrugged as they walked outside towards the mess hall, "It was a joint mission, so the Naval Aviator flew with the Air Force jockeys for several months."

"I see." Lauren replied.

They walked in silence for a while, neither feeling uncomfortable. As a matter of fact, Bo couldn't remember the last time she had felt so comfortable around a civilian she wasn't picking up for a late night lay in a bar. There was something about this woman that made her feel... well, she wasn't sure what it was just yet but she knew that she liked being in her presence.


	2. Chapter 2: Preflight

_**A/N:**_ _So... let's call this a late Valentine's Day box of chocolates for anyone who didn't get any! As for the story, happy to see many of you are interested in this one, but please know that I've never been in the military, so am writing via research and the experience of my family and friends who were in the military, not my own. Sorry in advance for anything that isn't realistic or is just flat out wrong. Let's call it poetic license? I'll do the best I can, based on the accuracy of the research and advice I receive. Feel free to DM me if there's anything glaring in the storyline that makes you say "ouch". Thanks for reading and reviewing._

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Chapter 2: Trust**_

Bo McCorrigan, or 'Stick' as she was known on the flight deck, was always meticulous. She came by it honestly having learned from her Father, but Doctor Lauren Lewis... well, she was at a whole other level. Bo had stood outside the simulator watching as the blonde tweaked the instruments, rolling her eyes at Manes before whispering,

"Manes, what is it with this chick? I'm was supposed to start in the simulator ten minutes ago. They gave me two hours and I haven't even run the pre-flight. It's going to cut my sim time short and, while I know Doctor Perfect thinks I have nothing to worry about, I certainly have my concerns..." Bo looked at Manes, a wicked grin on her face, as she leaned in the cockpit doorway and finished, "... I mean, after all, my Dad did DIE in the first X-2. Maybe I'll live if I have some flight time BEFORE I actually have to get in the damn thing. I mean, it would be nice to know where the eject button is..." she looked at Manes, "Am I right?"

Manes chuckled, shaking his head at the brunette. The Colonel always was known for her quick wit in situations that would make other pilots pucker. As the brunette stood with her hip cocked, her hand tapping out a frustrated rhythm on the roof, the former mechanic could only laugh. He watched as the Colonel huffed, walked to the nearby bench and sitting down on the bench while his memory took him back to Bo's last night on the carrier where they were stationed for a joint task force two years ago,

 _ **Flashback – Admiral's Quarters**_

 _Admiral: "Green, you can not be serious! A solo pilot flying into a war zone in an F-16 with no stealth capabilities to land and pick up a POW whose whereabouts are only rumored to be in that building is a suicide mission. I will not give that order."_

 _General Green: "Dennis follows orders. She always follows orders. She will do what she's told to do without question, no matter the risk. She's the best in the biz. If the job can be done, she'll get it done."_

 _Admiral: "I cannot believe Top gave the okay for this mission. I want verification."_

 _General Green: "You received the authentication code from my office. You will give the order. Dennis is going up and that's final."_

 _Admiral: "I want verification from Walker."_

 _General Green: "It's not his call and he is not my superior. Top is making the call on this one."_

 _Admiral: "Top told you to send Dennis on a suicide mission?"_

 _General Green: "Top told me to get the job done, no matter the cost. Our guy has intel we need. Orders are to bring him home. Dennis is your pilot."_

 _Admiral: "Then let me send Sorenson, Santiago and Thornwood up with her."_

 _General Green: "Negative. Risk too high. Solo mission is what I'm authorizing. If she fails, we'll reconsider the contingency plan."_

 _Admiral: "You mean the plan that has the best chance of being successful."_

 _General Green: "Discussion is over, Burke. Do the job."_

 _The Admiral stared at the receiver for a long moment before he realized he'd been hung up on. To the right of his desk, a young Airman stood at attention awaiting orders from the Admiral. Instead, he watched as the man stood from his desk and paced back an forth the short distance across the width of his quarters, mumbling to himself as he walked,_

" _Damn Air Force idiots. They're going to get a perfectly good pilot killed on MY watch! I'll be damned if I'm going to follow those orders! Shit! This is going to be one massive cluster fuck! Fucking Green is a fucking idiot! I don't care if she's fucking Supergirl, she's not getting out of this one alive. What the hell is he thinking!"_

" _Sir, if I may?" Manes interrupted._

 _The Admiral turned to face the Airman, "Sorry, Son. I forgot you were here. What was it you wanted?"_

 _Manes struggled not to squirm, instead taking a deep breath and tightening up his posture, "Sir, there's no way out of this one, Sir. When Top sets his orders, they don't change. I can tell you that from experience."_

" _Oh, because you've had so much, Airman?"_

" _Begging your pardon, Sir, but with Major Dennis, yes sir, I have."_

" _Explain."_

" _Permission to speak freely, Sir?"_

 _The Admiral mumbled, "Damn Air Force and their tight ass... speak, man! I'm supposed to send Dennis up when the sky turns red. Talk fast."_

" _Sir, this is the fifth time I've heard someone refer to one of Dennis' missions as a suicide mission. You'll notice she's still alive, Sir."_

" _You mean your brass has sent her solo into enemy territory before?" The Admiral asked._

 _Manes shrugged, "She's the best, Sir. Somehow she's always managed to make it back. None of the return trips were pretty, but she's here and not afraid to do it again if it means saving a fellow soldier."_

" _Call me old-fashioned if you'd like, but I just can't get used to the idea of sending a woman into the shit. It's just not right."_

 _Manes sighed. He'd heard other men have this debate since basic training and at one time, he'd felt the same, "You know, Admiral, I used to think like you but Major Dennis is a pilot through and through... born bred and altitude fed from the time she could walk... her little sister too. Her Dad..."_

" _I know who her Dad is, Airman. Everyone knows Jack Dennis no matter what branch of the military you're from. The guy's a goddamn hero and Green trashed his reputation and blamed him for that shit show of a crash. Losing a damn good pilot to some damn experiment is as idiotic as sending a pilot solo deep into enemy territory to pick up a POW who may or may not be where they think he is."_

 _Manes' eyes went wide, "Sir?"_

 _The Admiral looked up at the Airman, "You know Dennis well?"_

 _Manes shrugged, "Her and her crew trust me. I'm the only wrench they allow near their jets even though I'm just an Airman."_

 _The Admiral laughed, "Rank has nothing to do with your ability to keep a plane in the air. That's all about instinct if you ask me. Some men are just born to work on machines."_

 _Manes smiled and nodded, "Yea, it's sort of my thing and it's nice to take them up for a spin once in a while."_

" _You're flight certified?" The Admiral asked._

 _He nodded, "But not for combat."_

 _Manes stood silently for a moment as the Admiral leaned back in his chair and tossed the confidential mission report on his desk,_

" _Well, I've got a real problem, Manes. I'm being ordered to send your friend up in an F-16 to pick up that POW... tonight. Can you have her plane ready?"_

 _Manes nodded, the concern on his face evident._

" _She's going to have to land about two clicks from where we think our target is being held, possibly return fire to get him out and then hump it back to the jet and take off before anyone detects her presence."_

 _Manes shook his head slowly as the Admiral added, "We're not sure what condition our guy will be in either."_

" _Sir, with your permission, I may be able to add some tech to her jet that may help her remain undetected a bit longer. There's this engineer I met at a..."_

" _Do it."_

" _But sir, it's not military issued equipment. Hell, I'll have to cobble together the parts from what you guys have on your ship to..."_

" _Manes, do you question your Air Force Officers as much as you question me?"_

" _No Sir, Admiral."_

" _So is there a reason you feel a need to torture me with more questions than your AFO's when I have extended you and your jockeys the use of my carrier's catapults?"_

" _No Sir, Admiral."_

 _The Admiral picked up his phone, "Chief, I need Air Force Major Bo Dennis. Get her ass up here." He paused for a moment before adding, "Get me her buddies Sorensen, Santiago and Thornwood too."_

 _Hanging up, he looked at Manes, "Change of plans. You have four hours to get four planes prepped. Got a team you trust to do the work with you?"_

" _Yes, Sir. I think so, Sir."_

" _You think so, Manes?"_

" _I know so, Sir."_

" _That's more like it, Manes."_

 _Two taps on the door drew their attention, "Enter."_

 _The door opened revealing Bo, "Sir, you asked to see me?"_

" _Sit, Dennis."_

 _Just as Bo took her seat, the other three pilots entered, "Sit. Manes, don't you have work to do?"_

" _Sir, yes Sir. I'll need Dennis in about three hours, Sir. I'll need to show her the tech."_

" _She'll be there."_

 _The Airman saluted the Admiral, then turned and gave salute to Major Dennis before exiting the office._

" _Dennis, I've just gotten a call from General Green. It seems he has one of your super special missions planned and I'm being ordered to follow through on his orders."_

" _Whatever you need, Admiral." Bo replied._

" _Just one question, Dennis."_

" _Sir?" Bo asked._

" _Do you have a death wish?"_

" _Sir?" Bo asked._

" _Well, Manes tells me you've done missions like this before, so I'm just wondering if you've passed your most recent psych eval. You have a death wish?"_

" _I assure you, I wish to live a long and happy life, Sir." Bo replied._

" _Good to know. So, I've been ordered to send you solo, but this is my ship and Green doesn't outrank me, so I'm planning on sending your friends here on a mission of their own... a mission I need them for tonight."_

 _Bo looked at her three friends, then back at the Admiral, "Sir?"_

" _Dennis, you're being sent to pick up a POW. I'm sending the rest of you to pick up a different package." He said, turning to the other three pilots in the room._

" _Sir?" Tamsin asked._

" _Sorrenson, you and your brothers in arms are to bring Dennis and her package home. Are we clean?"_

" _We're clear, Sir." Tamsin said with a grin._

" _Good. Let's get to it then." The Admiral opened the mission file..._

 _ **Nine Hours Later...**_

" _Where the hell is she, Tamsin." Manes asked as the three pilots knelt in the rain, scanning the skies for any signs of lights._

" _I'm telling you she made it off the ground, Manes. We wouldn't leave her behind." Tamsin replied._

 _Thornwood added, "A bomb went off behind her plane, but she was up. I'm sure she was up."_

 _Manes looked at the man, "You're sure, Mark?"_

" _I'm telling you she was right off my wing and gaining altitude with me."_

" _THERE!" Hale said, pointing up to the sky._

 _Tamsin shook her head, "Manes, you better get your checkered shirt up there and call for the Green Shirts."_

" _Shit." Manes said, jumping up, to run on deck, waving the Green Shirts to follow, "Get the net!"_

 _The well-drilled team rushed to raise the nets, hoping that the pilot could make a controlled landing on the deck and not crash into the ship._

" _Cover!"_

 _Everyone rushed away from the landing area and watched in horror as the plane came in hot and out of control._

" _Ready the fire crews! No landing gear!" Manes yelled, "Shit." He said, raising both hands to his head as the nose of the plane looked as if it would crash into the hull at the aft portion of the carrier, but the nose was suddenly up and the plane was skidding across the carrier deck, flames immediately flooding out of the engines as it skidded into the arresting nets._

 _Manes watched as the fire crews immediately rushed to assist, the medics following closely behind. He looked up to see three planes circling overhead,_

" _Saint Joseph of Cupertino, thank you. Now help Stick." Manes whispered, turning back to see the crews quell the flames and break open the cockpit._

 _He watched as they pulled two limp bodies from the cockpit, his heart clenching in his chest before he heard the admiral summon him,_

" _Manes! Get that deck clear! Three incoming and they're light!"_

 _Manes motioned for his crew to follow, knowing he only had minutes before one of the three planes following a standby pattern in the sky would have to make their approach or run out of fuel. They worked as quickly as they could to clear the wreckage, the Admiral calling in extra crewmen for extra support. Finally, the deck was sufficiently clear enough for landing. Manes was shocked to hear the Admiral's voice come from just over his shoulder,_

" _Admiral?"_

 _The older man waved him off, settling onto the deck beside him, "I started out like you, Airman. I have no problem being in the trenches when our Naval Aviators land. I'll be here for your Air Force Pilots as well. Good job on that deck. Let's just hope the fact that they've been able to circle us this long also means they're not shot up as badly as Dennis' plane was. What a clusterfuck."_

 _Manes cleared his throat, "Is she... alive."_

" _Barely, but yes. So's her cargo. You were right about her."_

 _Manes shook his head, "Thanks for sending back up."_

" _It's a determined bunch you have their Manes. Watch out for them." The Admiral replied._

" _As long as we're stationed together, I will do that, Sir. They're good people and good soldiers."_

 _The Admiral laughed as the first plane made its' approach, "They are and that's amazing since they chose the Air Force over the Navy."_

 _He slapped Manes on the back before pointing up at the sky..._

"Manes!" Bo yelled, pulling her mechanic out of his memories.

"Sorry, Colonel. I was just... sorry, I was thinking."

"Manes, I need your head in this game. You with me?" Bo asked.

"I am. I just... well, does this seem familiar to you, Ma'am?"

"What do you mean?"

"You being asked to do something ridiculous?" He replied.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Suicide missions, testing the X-2... seems... strange." Manes replied.

Bo shrugged, "Not sure what you mean, Manes."

"Me either, Ma'am. Just a mental note."

"Okay, but do you think you can get me in the damn cockpit so I can run the pre-flight? Bo asked.

Lauren stuck her head out of the cockpit, "I don't understand why you can't understand that I am running the pre-flight, Colonel. Manes, could you please tell her I'm more than capable of running a pre-flight on my own simulator?"

Bo watched as she disappeared back into the simulator, her face twisted with frustration as she spoke,

"With all due respect, Doctor, pilots do their own pre-flight checks. We don't have engineers do them for us. I mean, your body is not the one in the cockpit, your life is not the one put at risk on takeoff and you're not the one who has to make sure the plane stays in the air while flying at Mach 3."

Lauren thrust her body out of the sim's cockpit opening, her hands gripping the metal sides as she turned on the pilot, "Are you saying I would put your life at risk?"

"No, that's not at all what I was saying. I was saying that it's my life, so my responsibility!" Bo replied.

"So I am irresponsible with your life?" Lauren asked.

Geez, Bo thought, this woman is a real piece of work, "No, I'm just..."

Climbing out of the simulator, the Doctor's anger was made known, "I'll have you know that when I put a pilot up in one of my company's prototypes, they are not only safe, but they are in an aircraft that a child could fly!"

Bo's fists curled at her sides as she took a deep breath and then let it all out... with some choice words for the blonde,

"I am no child and flying in a test aircraft at Mach 3 is not some damn kids game! Pilots are trained to follow protocol and that protocol includes a pre-flight check on a simulator _OR_ an actual aircraft. I _will_ do my own fucking pre-flight check, so you _will_ step aside and allow it, Doctor or your plane will remain grounded!"

Lauren spun on the pilot, her finger wagging in her face as the blood vessels bulged from her neck, "Are you threatening me and my work?"

Bo smirked, wrapping her arms over the helmet she held at her waist, "If you don't let me run my pre-flight, I will not get in that simulator or in that plane."

"Arrgghh! You are... infuriating!"

Lauren said as she turned and walked away, tossing a wrench into the toolbox. She glanced up at Manes who put up his hands, his face showing fear at the blonde's outburst before she stormed off in a huff,

"Arrgghh!" Was all the two soldiers heard before Bo laughed and called out to the blonde,

"Does this mean I can do my pre-flight now?"

"Damn cocky Air Force jockeys! Think they know more than the people who built their damn jets! I'd love to see them calculate thermal velocity, torque on liftoff and maneuvers or wind..."

"What's she saying?" Bo asked Manes.

He removed his cap, scratching his head before replacing it and picking up the wrench the blonde had thrown down,

"Honestly, Colonel I couldn't hear her once she slammed the control room door but I think there was something about cocky jockeys and torque. I think there might have been a damn jets thrown in there as well, but I'm not completely sure."

Bo laughed, slipping into the cockpit of the simulator, "Anything I need to know, Manes?"

"Other than the fact that she's probably going to throw a tornado scenario at you in the simulator?" He asked.

"Oh, I'm sure I'll get that and worse. Anything else I should know?"

"Well, I'm sure you've learned by now that the Doc does not like anyone messing with her baby, which should make things very interesting for your first flight. She may want to sit second seat to make sure she has a hand on the second stick just in case."

"Over my dead body." Bo replied.

"That's what I'm afraid of." Manes mumbled, "That woman be cray-cray, Colonel."

Bo laughed as Manes helped her buckle in. She pulled on her helmet adjusting the mic on the headset before pulling her mask over her face and securing her chinstrap with a firm snap. She smiled back at Manes, giving him a thumbs up as he closed the Plexiglas canopy and moved into position to begin her cockpit preflight routine.

She looked up at the Chief and almost busted a gut when she saw him pull off his jacket, revealing the traditional yellow shirt he would wear tomorrow, only this one had _'Bo's Bitch'_ emblazoned across the chest. He turned around, cocking his hip and sticking his butt out while the pilot read the back of his shirt... _'Tamsin's Boy Toy'._ Giving him a thumb's up, the two returned to the pre-flight routine, both settling into business mode.

Bo began her routine, exchanging signals with Manes as she flipped through her flight manual making sure not to miss a step of her usual ritual. As her Father always told her, leave no stone unturned in looking for the thing that's going to bring your plane down. She paused, thinking about her Father's crash. He was meticulous in every pre-flight check. It's the one thing he insisted on before take off. There had to be something else to what had happened.

She looked around the cockpit. She had sat in the backup X-2 at the aerospace museum at least once a year since her Father's death. She knew the instruments well and just as the Doctor had said, this was a completely different aircraft. So why the same name? Shaking out her thoughts, continued, her eyes locked on Manes as he examined the movement of the flaps, tail and so on, following Bo's lead with speed and precision.

Finally, she was ready to go. Manes did his dance before waving her off and saluting. The Colonel returned the salute and taxied into position on the simulator runway. Bo knew from their morning meeting that Lauren's new simulator was meant to make this entire experience exactly like the real deal. Of course, Bo wouldn't feel the G's that would be making it hard for her to breathe, nor the sense of weightlessness in that moment. She would also be surrounded by the gray walls of this hangar rather than crystal blue skies. Still, the nervousness of taking flight settled in her gut as her excitement started to build.

She wished she were on a carrier at night, about to be launched from a catapult into the blackness. It was one of the most terrifying, yet amazing sensations she had ever experienced in her life... it was also her favorite... well, maybe second favorite since the multiple orgasms she experienced with that co-pilot... what was her name? Right... Sarah. Maybe she should... a bump. Was that a bump? Taking a deep breath, she refocused, checking her grip on the stick as her Dad had taught her... firm, not loose and not tight. Settle into the seat because you're gonna be sitting here for a while. Helmet visor down. Pull up on the glove of your stick hand and make sure it's comfortable and launch... what was that bump she felt?

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **X-2 Test Flight Mission Briefing...**_

"I'm telling you, General Walker... something doesn't feel right."

Lauren slammed down the papers she was holding and brought her eyes to bear on Bo, "You saw the simulator results. The plane flew exactly as expected despite three pilot errors over the course of the twenty-two attempts."

Bo glared at the blonde, "Yea, thanks for that, by the way, I'll be lucky if I can stand after sitting in your damn simulator seat for what should have been five and done. Take off, flight maneuvers, tactical, weapons and landing were all perfect five straight times and you kept saying 'again'."

"There is nothing wrong with being cautious." Lauren insisted.

"You mean obsessive. Hell, you ran my pre-flight before I ran my pre-flight!" Bo replied, tossing her pen down on the desktop. She sighed, straightening up in her seat and putting her feet flat on the floor when she heard the General clear his throat,

"Ladies, I think we've done enough for today. Doctor Lewis feels the plane is ready to go. You flew... the most simulator flights on record for the X-2, so I think it's safe to say we're ready for tomorrow."

Bo shook her head, "I'm telling you, General. There is a shimmy or a shudder... a bump... just before you hit Mach 3. Something is not right with that aircraft."

The General turned to Bo, "So are you saying I need a new pilot, Dennis?"

Bo scowled, "Absolutely not, General. I just think that it's worth another look under the hood."

He nodded, considering Bo's thoughts before turning to Lauren, "On the way in to this meeting, Colonel Dennis asked that I permit Chief Manes to give the plane a once over. Any objections?"

Lauren hesitated, but replied, "Begging your pardon, Sir, he knows nothing of the newly modified X-2. What could he possibly see that me and my team have not after five years?"

Bo blew out a frustrated breath, "Oh, come on, Doc. Manes has been studying your plans for days. He knew more than our Top 3 when he was working the carrier. Why are you so opposed to giving him a chance to have a look? If your plane is so perfect, you shouldn't feel threatened by him giving it a check up. Besides, I thought you said you could never check a plane enough when it comes to safety?"

Lauren shook her head, "I'm opposed to anyone going anywhere near that plane if I'm not present. I am the person solely responsible for whatever happens tomorrow. If he's checking it out, I'm present to be sure he doesn't screw anything up."

Bo laughed, "Manes, screw it up, huh? Right. Well, don't worry your pretty little head, about all that responsibility, Doc."

"Dennis." The General warned.

Bo sighed, "Apologies. What I meant to say is... if I crash your precious investment tomorrow, I promise you top brass will blame me first and then the General. No one will blame the fact that this jet is being rushed to the runway..." she looked at the General, "...just like it was for my Dad."

Bo stopped short of blaming the Doctor's father, but she was pretty sure General Walker knew what she was thinking. No one seemed interested in laying any of the blame for the rush to take off on Green, but the thought was not far from Bo's mind. Her Dad had been called up to test the first X-2 in a very similar fashion. Now that she thought of it, it was very curious... her thoughts were interrupted by the Doctor's voice,

"Fine. Have your boy give the plane a once over, but with me present and we still fly tomorrow. Agreed, General?" Lauren asked, ignoring Bo as she was about to interrupt.

"Agreed. Colonel Dennis, Major Sorenson, Chief Manes, we'll see you all tomorrow morning at 0500 hours."

The three officers stood, all saluting in unison before exiting the room with their binders under their arms.

"Dennis." General Walker called to Bo.

The brunette turned, holding her stride at the door while Sorensen and Manes kept their eyes forward, "Sir?"

"Sleep, Dennis. History doesn't always repeat itself."

Bo frowned, her gut stirring at the General's comment, "I wish my gut agreed with you. Sir."

They held eye contact for a long moment before Bo dropped her eyes to the floor and exited the room followed by the other two officers. General Walker turned to speak to Lauren and her right hand, but was interrupted by the door opening. He turned,

"Sorenson?"

"Permission to enter, General."

He tossed his pen on his notepad and leaned back, waving a hand towards her previously abandoned chair,

"Granted."

The three watched as Tamsin removed her hat and returned to her seat, her eyes finding her commanding officers'.

"Something on your mind, Major?"

"Sir, permission to speak freely."

"Granted."

She turned to Lauren, "Bo's right. You have little to no experience with jets and even less with jet pilots, so lesson number one - it's not a good idea to twist your pilot's gut and mind into knots before you send them up in an untested aircraft." She paused and then added, "Top brass may not blame you, but the pilots who will be taking your planes up? Let's just say that if anything happens to Stick, it's on you."

Lauren laughed, "I'll say it again. The aircraft is fine. I've never missed a deadline and have never put a failed aircraft into the sky."

Tamsin laughed, "Yea, well is that the plane talking or is that your ego I'm hearing? Let me guess, you promised Top you'd deliver your plane by tomorrow and now they're holding you to that deadline."

Lauren tried to speak, but Tamsin shook her head and sat forward in her seat, her eyes set firmly on the blonde engineer as she spoke,

"The way I see it, you have everything to lose by not going up on time. If she crashes, I know you have another X-2 in our other hangar."

"Wh- how did..."

Tamsin laughed, "You're on a military base, not in a Lewis Enterprise hangar. You can safely assume that anyone in uniform is looking out for others in uniform. My point is, you have another X-2 as well as a whole platoon of pilots and you're willing to sacrifice Stick for your streak."

"Sorenson! You are way out of line!"

She turned to the General, "All due respect, Sir, I don't think I am. I know she's General Green's daughter and that he is a friend of yours. Everyone knows he's not well and the two of you are trying to cover for him. I'm sure it puts you in a difficult position, but I'm concerned about a conflict of interest here, Sir. I've known Stick for a long time."

"But you don't know me and all I see is that you're questioning my integrity and making assumptions without fact."

Tamsin turned on the blonde, "And all I see is an engineer with a career perfect record who is as obsessed with her aircraft as she is with maintaining that impeccable performance. You're talking about integrity? Well, you're not showing much if you send Bo up tomorrow. You're pushing and you know it. You're just too damn stubborn to admit it... putting your own accomplishments before the life of Stick – or of any pilot - is just plain wrong. We're not machines, we're people with families and lives."

She realized she was getting emotional and took a second to gather herself before looking at General Walker,

"Sorry, Sir but I believe Doctor Lewis' ego is going to get Stick killed and no one seems to care. I had to come back in and speak my mind... for the record."

"Ego?" Lauren gasped.

Tamsin tore her eyes from the General's to respond,

"Yes, ego. You're so insistent on getting this plane airborne that you haven't stopped to listen to what that incredibly experienced pilot out there is telling you. There is something wrong with the plane. She can feel it. And just for good measure, there isn't a pilot in this Air Force that would get into the cockpit of any plane if Stick said it wasn't flight ready."

Tamsin's plea was passionate and she knew she was getting her point across when she saw the General lean forward, his elbows finding the edge of the table.

"Doctor..." he began, but Lauren wasn't hearing it,

"She hasn't even been in it."

"Beg your pardon?" He asked, but Tamsin understood exactly what the blonde was trying to say,

Tamsin turned to her C.O., "Sir, the Doctor is saying that Stick hasn't even sat in the cockpit yet, so how can she say there's anything wrong with the plane." She turned to Lauren, shaking her head, "Wow. You don't get it, do you?"

"Tamsin." The General cautioned.

"Sir, with all due respect, it's our asses on the line up there. I again request permission to speak freely."

The General looked at Lauren who was staring down at her aircraft designs and spoke, "Permission granted."

Tamsin looked up at Lauren, "You said that Stick hasn't even been in your plane. What you don't get is that the first time she gets in your plane could be the last if you're wrong and she's right. It's why we use simulators. She said something isn't right. What's the big deal about delaying launch a day to recheck her suspicions?"

"The plane is perfect! I've checked it myself!" Lauren said, "I've been building planes of all types for almost twenty years. My company employs the best engineers on the planet..."

"And I'm sure all of that is true, but we are talking about jets here."

Lauren sat back in her seat, an exasperated breath escaping her mouth, "And I have told you cargo plane, commercial airliner, puddle jumper, I've designed and built them all."

"Have you designed and built simulators for all of them?" Tamsin asked.

Lauren paused before she admitted, "Only the commercial planes, but my software engineers have and they're the best."

Tamsin shook her head, "it's always 'the best' with you. Do you think the U.S. Military became 'the best' by using anyone who wasn't the best at what they do? And for the record, there's always someone better. I thought I was the best until Stick kicked my ass in a training flight."

"If your pilot is the best, she'll handle any emergency that comes about. The X-2 has safety features that make it the safest plane every built."

"Compared to what? She's going Mach 3 and has an emergency, she'll do what, exactly? Eject? She'll be lucky if she isn't ripped to shreds when she bounces off the canopy at that speed!"

"The canopy has a special eject..."

"Just stop." Tamsin said, waving the blonde off, "Safety won't matter if she explodes mid flight. You said you built the simulator to fly exactly like the real thing. Was that a lie?"

"No, but..."

Tamsin leaned in as she spoke, her hands balling into fists on the table, "No buts, Doctor. She says she feels something right before Mach 3. Did you know that her Father died just before hitting Mach 3?"

Lauren shook her head, as she rifled through the stack of papers in front of her, "No... Sir... I haven't been able to get the records declassified and the information that was given to me by General Green was truncated."

Tamsin opened her briefcase and tossed a file in front of the blonde, "I took care of it. Find the flaw Doc. Find the flaw or cancel the test flight tomorrow until you know for sure. This whole thing has been rushed and you know it. Have the integrity to give a shit about the life of my friend and a great pilot. Don't make her go down like her Dad did... not in the same plane."

Tamsin stood and turned to the General, "Sir."

"Major." He replied, nodding at her salute as she exited.

Lauren's eyes were on the drawings in front of her as she mumbled, "It's not the same plane."

"Doctor?"

The blonde's tired eyes looked up to find the General smiling at her, "Lauren, you've got to get some sleep."

She shook her head, "I'll sleep when I go over my designs and make sure that plane is safe."

The General shook his head, "Maybe we should delay."

Her head popped up, "Not you too."

"You know, I've known you since you were a little girl in pigtails running around the hangar back on base. You've always loved watching jets, building jets and hanging around the military personnel. Maybe it's time you actually sat in one."

"What?"

The General laughed, "I've always found it funny and slightly ironic that someone who is as obsessed with flight and building planes has such an incredible aversion to being up in a plane."

Lauren shrugged, "It's not that I don't want to be up in one, it's just that I don't trust the people that build them."

"You won't even fly in your own commercial airliners." He laughed.

"I don't trust their mechanics."

"Who do you trust?" General Walker asked as he closed his leather portfolio and slid the pen into the elastic pen holder.

"I trust you." Lauren replied, "I always have."

General Walker sighed, "Okay. Then I'm going to ask you to trust me with that impeccable record of yours. I'm going to recommend the test flight be delayed three days."

"What? Why!" Lauren said, hustling to her feet, her face covered in defeat, "You believe them?"

He pursed his lips, "They're my pilots and I know them well, Lauren. I trust your design, but there are an awful lot of working part that go into these machines. You know the laws of physics. Once Colonel Dennis is in that aircraft, she's nothing more than an egg and it's my responsibility to preserve the life of my pilot... unless you want to notify her next of kin tomorrow?"

Lauren sighed at the memory of the angry voice who refused to allow the recovery of Colonel Jack Dennis' body. General Walker smiled,

"I'll take that as a no."

The Doctor nodded, "No, Sir. I'd rather not speak with Miss Malikov about the demise of her beloved sister."

"Well, that makes two very smart people in this room. Malikov's bark is nothing compared to her bite. She would take down your company and sell it off for parts if anything happened to her sister... especially after she learned that you were told by three officers that the flight shouldn't take place."

Lauren looked up at him, a small smile stretching slowly across her face as she nodded and tapped her pencil on the desktop,

"I guess I am being pretty stubborn."

"I'd expect nothing less."

"Determined is one thing, but if I become a stubborn ass, I become just like the engineers who get so many test pilots killed."

He smiled. He'd known Lauren Lewis for a very long time. He knew she would come to the truth in her own time. He was just glad she hadn't argued with him. He would have hated to have to pull rank. He knew that deep down inside, she was still trying to prove her worth to her Father after rejecting her nomination to the Air Force Academy and choosing civilian life instead. He watched as the blonde gathered her things, then stopped to look up at him,

"Do me a favor, General?"

"Anything you need, Lauren."

"Please tell me when I'm being a stubborn ass."

He smiled, "Only when I have to. I knew you'd do the right thing."

"Yea, well you approved a flight despite knowing I was doing the wrong thing."

"Flights can always be cancelled." He said, sliding his portfolio under his arm and opening the door for the blonde, "The military is no different."

They walked side-by-side down the corridor, "I'd like you to do something for me, Lauren."

"You name it, General."

He stopped, gripping her elbow gently to bring her to a stop as well, "I want you to go up second seat with Bo in an F-16 tomorrow."

"What?"

"Lauren, it's time. Besides, I think you need to spend some time with a pilot... this pilot. You don't respect her and she doesn't trust you. There couldn't be a worse combination between a scientist and a pilot."

The blonde sighed, biting her lip, "I'm... afraid."

"You said you trust me, right?"

She nodded, "With my life."

"Well, I'd trust Stick with my life. I actually did once."

She smiled, "Will you tell me about it?"

He smiled back, "Now you know that's classified, but you know I never that word was always a bit... flexible... when it came to you and me."

Lauren smiled, "You're the only one who ever gave me that kind of trust."

"Yes and I seem to recall that being the reason you ended things with that beauty Nadia. I thought she was the one who would finally talk you into taking a vacation."

Lauren scowled, "I can't be with someone who doesn't trust me as much as I trust them. I refuse to have secrets in my personal life when I have to spend all day in my professional life living with one secret after another."

He nodded, "I understand, Lauren."

They stood in silence for a moment before Lauren asked, "How's my Dad?"

He sighed, "You didn't speak to your Mother?"

She shook her head, "She called, but I was doing a pre-flight check in the simulator so couldn't talk."

Laughing, he replied, "Bo was right about that, by the way. Pilots do their own pre-flights."

"Well, I just wanted to make sure..."

"Lauren..." He warned.

"I know. I'm stubborn, overbearing, overprotective and... controlling."

"The worst." He laughed, "But at least you can admit your faults."

"To you, anyway." She replied.

"And to yourself. I won't tell Stick she was right about you." Lauren laughed along with him before she asked again, "So... you're dodging my question."

"About?" He asked.

"About my Dad?"

"Right." He said, offering a sympathetic smile with his pause, "It's as we expected, Lauren. He's in the early stages of Alzheimer's. I'm afraid word of his health moved quickly up the chain. They'll be giving him an Honorable Discharge if he won't retire gracefully."

"Nothing about that man is graceful." She scowled.

General Walker wrapped an arm over her shoulder, "That is true. Your Mother was going to tell him tomorrow morning. She thought you might want to be there."

Shaking her head, she replied, "I'm busy."

"Lauren, you're done for the day and tomorrow's flight is cancelled, so..."

"I want to go up." She interjected abruptly.

"What?" He stopped, turning to face the blonde,

"With Bo... I mean, Colonel Dennis. I want to go up." She pointed towards the ceiling.

He smiled, "You're sure?"

"Yes." She nodded, seemingly trying to convince herself as much as the General.

He shook his head, "So you would do something you are deathly afraid of just to avoid being in the room when your Mom tells your Dad he can't be a soldier anymore?"

"You can take the uniform off, but that man will always be a soldier... and yes, I would rather fly than be in that room. Please send Mom my apologies."

"What?"

Lauren smiled, "I know you'll be there. You wouldn't leave her alone for this and besides, I know this is information that is only presented by someone of at least equal rank. You wouldn't let anyone else do this, so I know you're planning to be there. Please offer my apologies for my absence."

He smiled, knowingly, "And explain to her that you are working?"

She chuckled, "Exactly."

"Fear does not become you, Lauren Lewis." He said, placing a hand on her back as he turned her towards the exit, "But at least you'll be facing one fear tomorrow."

"I'll be facing multiple fears, but that's one way I can earn a little respect from my pilot, right?"

General Walker smiled, "Okay Sketch, I'll set it up. Tomorrow morning, 0500."

"Don't call me that." Lauren frowned.

"You're going up in a jet, Lauren. You'll need a call sign."

"I'm a passenger, not a pilot. Passengers do not get call signs." Lauren huffed.

Laughing, he shook his head, "Well, I'm afraid it's out of my hands. Pilots give pilots their call signs."

"I'm aware and as I said, I'm not a pilot. They would never deem me worthy of a precious call sign. Damn jockeys."

"Well, you need to respect those jockeys if you want them to take good care of your baby."

Lauren laughed, "Well, it's in their best interest to do so, wouldn't you think? It wouldn't be good for their health to hurt her."

The General rubbed his chin, looking up at the Doctor, "If I didn't know you better, I'd say Sorensen had a point about the way you think of pilots."

"You know I respect the job they do." Lauren replied.

"I know you're an Air Force daughter who always felt she fell short of her Father's expectations when she chose not to join up. Could it be you've held some animosity towards pilots all of this time?"

Lauren sighed, "Don't be ridiculous."

"Ridiculous? I think it's time for you to check the old feelings meter. You said you respect the job they do. You didn't say you respected them. Maybe a little time in that cockpit will help you to understand exactly how much they deserve your respect." He replied.

Lauren took a breath, about to reply, but stopped short when something came to mind, "Wait. You said take off would be at 0500 tomorrow? The same time the test flight was scheduled to take place?"

The General shrugged as he put his briefcase into the backseat of the jeep, securing his hat on his head and giving the private the signal to start the vehicle before taking his seat on the passenger side,

"She's already planning to be up."

"You're not going to tell her?" Lauren asked.

He shook his head, "You are. If I know Dennis, she'll be laying in the grass beneath the stars at the end of the X-2's airstrip for the rest of the night."

Lauren looked at him curiously, "Really?"

He kissed the top of Lauren's head, "Go get to know your pilot, Lauren. Do yourself a favor and learn to trust her instincts. I've known Colonel Dennis for her entire career and I promise you that Major Sorensen was right on the mark when she said she's the best. Everyone who has ever sat in a cockpit knows that or their ego is too bruised by a woman breaking their records to admit it."

Lauren laughed, "You're talking about Lambert."

He smiled and nodded, "Lambert is a good pilot, but we sent him to the Academy to teach Cadets for a reason. He was pushing the edge to try to beat her and almost got his reel killed."

Lauren nodded, "I'm glad Dyson is going to be okay."

The General sighed, "Well, the word okay depends on whether you're a pilot who still wants to fly. You really should go see him when you have a chance, Lauren. It's not like you to check on a friend."

She smiled, "Did you know he's my oldest friend?"

He nodded, giving her an understanding smile, "I did. The two of you were inseparable until his Dad was transferred."

"Hardest year of my life." Lauren replied, "I had no friends after he left."

"Your greatest friends were the guys in the hangar."

Giving him half a laugh, she nodded, "I have them to thank for my two PhD's, I suppose. I had nothing else to do but hang out with jets and gear heads. I guess it served me well to lose my best friend."

He nodded, "Well, you haven't lost him yet. Go see him, Lauren. He's alive, but his mind isn't right."

"Go kick his ass?" She asked.

"Precisely." He smiled, "Now, go to the hangar and find Command Chief Master Sergeant Ellison about an F-16 for tomorrow. He works under Manes and will be handling the pre-flight tomorrow unless Stick decides she wants Manes out there."

"She can pick who does her pre-flight?" Lauren asked.

"Stick has earned the right to make such a request, yes. She trusts Manes."

"Is there something you're not telling me?" Lauren asked.

The General sighed, "I was Stick's C.O. in Afghanistan. We were dispatched to join a carrier group where Bo met Manes. Tamsin was her wingman until she was sent on the first of several missions that – well, we all thought they were suicide missions... but Stick..."

"She lived." Lauren nodded.

"More than that... she nailed every mission... and trust me, the odds were not in her favor."

"Why her?"

"What?" The General asked.

"Why did they send her? On all of those missions, they sent the same pilot. Why?"

He shrugged, "She's the best."

Lauren shook her head, "That makes no sense. Why would you sacrifice your best pilot."

"The missions were that important." He replied.

"Or..." Lauren began, but held her tongue.

"Or what?"

Shaking her head she replied, "Nothing. But... maybe I should fly with another pilot. Sorensen?"

He laughed, shaking his head, "I'll give him a heads up that you're coming and then take care of filing the flight plans before I leave the base tonight. Sorensen isn't flying your multi-billion dollar X-2 investment. Stick is the pilot you seem to have a problem with, so she is the one you need to learn to trust. Besides, Dennis outranks the Major, so she is the one who should take up our highest ranking civilian."

"Damn protocol." Lauren mumbled.

"Lauren, I need you to listen to me." He said, waiting for the blonde to turn to him, "I know that you know planes, but there is more to building a successful plane than drawings and parts. Let her help you be successful. It wouldn't be a bad thing to extend that streak of yours because you actually had to share the credit."

She nodded, leading the General to smile, "You'll be in good hands, Lauren. Godspeed."

"Thanks." She replied as she watched the Private take the wheel, put the truck in gear and head off down the auxiliary road.

She stood there silently for a moment... her eyes focused on the runway behind the fence where an F-16 was prepping for take off. She covered her ears when the engines ignited, the sound sending shivers down her spine. She smiled at the sensation. She loved watching jets take off and land – she always had, even as a little girl. She turned her eyes to the road, watching as the emergency crews stood ready in case anything went wrong. Turning back to the jet, she smiled,

"Flaps, check... tail rudder, check..." She'd been in a cockpit in the hangar as a kid and Randy, one of the oldest mechanics, used to play make believe with her. She was the pilot and he was the tower controller talking her through her pre-flight check. She smiled warmly at the memory. Randy was gone now and she was no longer a child. Tomorrow was real and so was Colonel Dennis. Somehow, she was going to have to find a way to work with this woman... this pilot. She was going to have to learn to trust her.

Sighing, she looked up at the sound of the turbines spinning up and smiled as the plane began to accelerate down the runway until it lifted into the air leaving two perfect circular contrails in its wake.

"Beautiful." She whispered before giggling to herself, "I'm going up."

She raced down the road to her card, fumbling with her keys as she ran before hopping into her car to head to the hangar. Tomorrow, she was going to fulfill a lifelong dream and overcome a lifelong fear.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Hey Pops, Dad. How you guys doing? Well, I'm sure you were listening in on the whole conversation at the meeting with that engineer. So... what do you think? Am I going to join you guys in the great beyond tomorrow or does she somehow keep me alive? They say she's brilliant, but... well, you guys felt it, right? I mean, maybe the simulator's off, but she swears it's an exact replica of the cockpit on the new X-2. Is it fear I'm feeling in my gut or is it a legit sense of doom I'm feeling?"

She frowned, "Pops, you taught Dad to follow his gut and he passed that on to me. I sure as hell would like to have the chance to pass that on to my kids one day, but right now I'm worried that... I won't get the chance."

Sighing, she laid back in the grass, placing an arm behind her head before crossing one leg over the other. Her eyes traveled over the clouds streaked with pink and purple hues as the sun began to set. A lone jet sat at the end of the runway preparing for take off. She envied the pilot. Sunset was a beautiful time to fly. She rarely got the chance to fly in daylight anymore. Most of her missions were done under the cover of darkness and now... well, as a test pilot, all of her missions would be done in clear, perfect daylight conditions. Anything to help the plane succeed before it was rushed to production.

"Damn politicians." She mumbled under her breath, "Damn engineers."

She lay at the end of the runway for a long time, watching take off after take off. This strip was one of the busiest military strips in the country, so at least she had known she would be thoroughly entertained when she decided to come here tonight. Of course she came here tonight. It was a habit she'd started when she'd first gotten her wings. Now it was just superstition... or habit... or a way to shake off the nerves before a mission... or maybe it was just a way to pass the time knowing that she wouldn't sleep the night before a mission. It was probably a combination of all of those, she concluded, but regardless of what it was, she found comfort in being here before she went up.

She closed her eyes and listened to the squeal of brakes on the tarmac. She knew that sound well. It was a cargo plane... the Big Bertha of the fleet. She's flown cargo as her first job with the Air Force. Her greatest fear was that, as a woman, she would never fly jets but she'd proven herself quickly once General Green had nominated her to attend Red Flag training. He'd told her that Top Brass was under pressure from the Senate to put a woman in a combat cockpit, so he chose her. She had the highest scores of any woman in her graduating class from the academy, but was warned that if she screwed up that no woman would ever see flight time in a jet for a very long time. She'd seen G.I. Jane. She knew what this was and she proved them all wrong... thankfully.

She sighed looking up at the darkening sky, watching as the stars came out to perform their dance for her. This is what she loved about this part of Nevada. It sucked that it was hot and dry, but it made for good stargazing. She watched as a military escort marched towards the fence in full military dress,

"Shit." She said, "Bad juju, BoBo." She whispered as the cargo hold slowly opened on the massive plane.

Bo sat up, waiting in anticipation to see if her suspicions were correct. Minutes later, her worst fears were confirmed. She stood, wiping the sand from her pants and boots. She removed her hat and placed it under her arm before standing at attention. In unison with the honor guard, she slowly raised her hand to her brow in salute as a group emerged carrying a flag-draped coffin. Her throat tightened at the sight, her eyes watering and bottom lip quivering. She didn't even try to hide the lone tear that trickled slowly down her cheek, rolling from her face to the ground. No one could see the show of emotion and if no one could see, no one would ever know that the steel nerves of one Colonel Ysabeau 'Stick' Dennis had broken at the sight of a lost soldier being carried back to his home soil.

The escort turned, leading the guard towards the hangar where the body would be kept until it could be sent to its final destination. Bo wondered what would happen to her if she were killed tomorrow. She knew she wasn't supposed to think such things. As a pilot, no fear was your motto, but this particular flight in this particular plane had her on edge for the first time in her life. If she refused to fly, her career was essentially over. If she went up, her life could be over. Could she really trust this blonde? Was she right? Was Bo making a mountain out of a molehill?

As the group lowered the body to the ground and gave a final salute, the group broke apart and went in their separate directions, some consoling each other. They must have been the soldier's friends. She guessed that was the beauty of what she did for a living. If she died tomorrow, there would be nothing left to bury. Still, who would care? Her parents were gone and there was only Kenzi now. She knew that General Walker would contact her if anything happened, but still... would anyone else mourn her? She guessed that's why the brass liked her so much. They could risk her life and feel little to know guilt if anything happened to her. She chuckled,

"You know, Dad, maybe they told her I have no one, so she didn't have to worry about getting me killed."

She sat down and lay back on the grass again, watching the cargo hold close and the large plane taxi off towards the adjacent hangar. There was a line up of plane in the sky now, each awaiting their turn to return to ground. This would be a nice light show even though she enjoyed take offs more than landings.

"You know, it was you Pops. I blame you. All of those 'dumb blonde' jokes you always told have me questioning her ability to build a plane. Mom told me that you and Dad used to tell me those jokes so I would feel smarter than smarty-pants Carol Bonner and prettier than Amy Saunders. I was so self-conscious about having dark hair when all of the other girls were blonde. They weren't, of course, but they were the only ones I could see. The pretty cheerleader types who all of the boys used to fuss over and all of the teachers seemed to love were the bane of my existence in high school."

"I assure you, I am not a dumb blonde."

Bo sat up and spun around at the sound of the familiar voice. When she saw the engineer standing not five feet away with her hip cocked and arms crossed over her head, she rolled her eyes and laid back down, covering her face with her arm,

"Great. Just great." She mumbled before adding a little more volume to her voice, "What do you want."

"Nice to see you too." Lauren replied, walking up to stand next to the brunette.

"How did you find me?" Bo asked.

"General Walker told me I could probably find you here... well, I checked two other runways first." Lauren replied.

"Traitor." Bo mumbled, "What do you want?"

"To talk." Lauren replied.

"I said everything I wanted to say. You and three generals agreed that I was going to die tomorrow anyway."

Lauren rolled her eyes, "You're not dying tomorrow, Colonel."

"Says you." Bo replied.

"I mean, you're not going up tomorrow... well... not in the X-2, anyway."

Bo popped up to her feet and turned her angry eyes on the blonde, "You fucking had me replaced? How dare you!"

"I did not have you replaced." Lauren replied, her voice raised to match the pilot's.

"Then who, pray tell, is flying the mission?" Bo asked, "Sorensen?"

Lauren laughed, "No, but she played a great part in convincing General Walker and the rest of the lower ranking Generals in the room that your man should have a look at the X-2 before we proceed."

"What?" Bo asked, shocked.

"You won." Lauren replied, hanging her head and shoving her hands into her pants pockets, "Okay? You won. Satisfied?"

Bo searched the blonde's face for signs that she was joking, but her solemn mood told Bo that the engineer was anything but amused,

"Actually, I am satisfied. I can stop trying to think about who will attend my funeral tomorrow." Bo said, turning away and sitting back down on the grass, pulling at the blades between her legs.

Lauren wanted to scream at this woman. She didn't know what it was about her that sent her into fits of anger and frustration, but she steeled her emotions and took a few deep breaths before speaking again,

"Do you mind if I sit?"

"Here?" Bo asked, looking up at the blonde.

Lauren rolled her eyes again, "I can go out and sit on the runway if you prefer, but here would probably mean I get to see tomorrow as well."

Bo sighed, "Fine. Sit."

While she wasn't too keen on spending more time with the frustrating blonde, she didn't wish death on the woman. She did say she didn't have to go up in the X-2 tomorrow and that Manes would have a shot at the plane before she took it up. Bo froze,

"Wait... you said 'not the X-2, anyway'. Exactly what am I taking up tomorrow?"

"Me." Lauren replied, staring at the ground.

"What?" Bo asked, her eyes burning into the side of Lauren's head.

"You're taking me up in an F-16 tomorrow - General Walker's orders." She replied. He hadn't ordered Lauren to go up, but she knew that she would give Bo the order on her behalf if the brunette resisted the idea.

"Why?"

Lauren considered her answer before deciding it would be in her best interest... and prevent further argument with the pilot... if she fed her ego a bit,

"He wants me to learn to trust you. He wants us to spend time together if we're going to work cooperatively on the X-2. It's in the best interest of the Air Force and the X-2 program."

Bo smirked, "So he believes me."

Lauren couldn't help herself, "No, he believed your buddy Sorensen."

"What did Tamsin have to do with it?"

"She came back in after you left. She convinced them to wait long enough for Manes to confirm my analysis."

Bo nodded, "Sorry if that fractures your ego a bit, but it is my life on the line tomorrow."

"You're life is not..." Lauren began, but took a breath, "Safety is the first priority. I'm confident in my plane."

Bo laughed. This woman was adorable when she was being stubborn, "I'm sure safety is your first priority, especially since you were so willing to do the extra check before Sorensen ambushed you at her private meeting in front of the generals."

Lauren knew that she had screwed up, so she said nothing in reply. She had pushed the flight and pushed that she was right. Bo was right. She had been thinking only of staying on schedule. She hadn't once considered Bo's life or the possibility of failure despite the pilot's urging that something was wrong with the plane. Then, there was what General Walker had told her... something wasn't adding up. She wanted to ask the Colonel, but the woman clearly hated her.

"Doctor?"

"Wh-what? Sorry. I was a little lost in thought." Lauren replied.

Bo lay back down on the grass, pausing as a plane flew overhead, the scream of the engine drowning out all sound for a long moment. She followed the flames of the engines with her eyes before turning her head back to gaze up at the star-filled sky,

"I asked why you came to see me." Bo replied.

"I told you why. I came to tell you that you're taking me up in the F-16 tomorrow so we can build some trust."

Bo turned to the blonde, "Command Chief or Master Chief would have given me my new orders in the morning when I arrived at the X-2 platform. You didn't need to come."

Lauren shrugged, "General Walker told me to come and see you."

Bo nodded, "Walker told you to come. Why?"

"He was doing the paperwork for the flight plan and told me to see Ellison about the F-16." Lauren replied, "I have to follow orders too."

The brunette was silent, "Have you flown before?"

Lauren fumbled nervously with her fingers, "No."

"Never?" Bo asked.

Lauren shook her head, "Never."

"All that time hanging with the wrenches and you never flew?" She asked.

"It's complicated."

Bo turned her head back to the sky, "I've got time. You really should relax, Sketch."

Lauren's head spun sharply towards the pilot, "Who told you to call me that?"

Bo chuckled, "It's what all of the pilots call you."

Lauren shook her head, "So it wasn't General Walker?"

"General Walker? Why would a General give you a call sign?"

"Why would a pilot give someone who's not a pilot a call sign?" Lauren countered.

"Okay then, consider it a nickname. You're the reason we're all here and since you're not military, we have to call you something. Doctor or Doc is too obvious. Hale noticed that you're always sketching things, so... Sketch."

Lauren nodded, a small smile stretching across her face, "Wow. I have a call sign."

"And honorary call sign." Bo clarified, "So, can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Lauren replied, cautiously.

"You said you grew up in hangars, but you also were estranged from your Dad until you were twenty-five..."

"Actually, it was twenty-two. General Walker was guessing at my age."

"And you mentioned your Mom..."

"Stepmom. I met her the same year my biological Mom died in a car accident... the same year I reunited with my Dad at a NASA event and he offered me this contract. He had been dreaming of Project Resurrection for almost a decade." Lauren explained.

"That doesn't explain how you became so familiar with Air Force hangars and jets." Bo replied.

Lauren nodded, "My Dad... I mean, the man I knew as my Dad... the man who raised me with my Mom... he was an Air Force pilot. He died... lung cancer... smoked like a fiend. We all told him to quit and he tried... God how he tried, but it never quite took. He got pneumonia when I was a senior in college and... well, they found a spot on his lung. It happened so fast."

"I'm sorry." Bo replied, "I really am. Cancer sucks."

Lauren nodded, "So, I lost both parents in two years time and then ran into my Dad. It felt like it was meant to be, so when he offered my company Project Resurrection..."

"You couldn't refuse." Bo finished for the blonde.

"Pretty much. Anyway, when I was a kid, my Mom taught at the Academy all day and my Dad flew jets."

"Your Mom was a teacher?"

"My Mom was an Astrophysicist and a college Professor... well, until she met my Dad. He used to say that as soon as he saw her, his engine stalled and he fell into a flat spin. He kept at her until she finally said yes and became an Air Force Officer's wife, but eventually, she got bored sitting around base. One day, she saw a teaching job at the Academy was posted, so she went for it. They almost didn't hire her, saying she was over qualified, but she convinced them to give her a shot. She fell in love with her job. I was really young then, but once I was old enough to go to school, I was quite a handful. I would roam around base to find anything with moving parts. The engines fascinated me... that a machine could actually fly. Anyway, they were always in a panic trying to figure out where I was, so they got me a 'job' in the hangar."

"A job? How old were you?"

Lauren laughed, "I was seven or eight? It wasn't a real job, of course, but I thought it was so I was always there on time and ready to work. There was a guy named 'Bolt' who would have a list of things for me to do every day. I didn't know it then, but he had orders to keep me busy until my Mom came to pick me up."

"Smart parents."

Lauren nodded, "They were great. They really were."

"Mine too." Bo replied, "It sucks that they're gone. Do you have any siblings?"

Lauren shook her head, "Just me and my Step Mom now."

"Do you get along?"

Lauren nodded, "We do. We both understand my Dad. She's going to tell him tomorrow that they're giving him an Honorable Discharge."

Bo sat up, looking at Lauren, "Why?"

"Come on, Colonel. We both know why. The way my Dad treated you in that briefing... we both knew there was something wrong with his mind. It's been like this for months and getting worse."

Bo nodded, "What is it?"

"Early stages of Alzheimer's."

"I'm so sorry." Bo replied.

Lauren shrugged, "Yea, me too."

The pair were silent, Bo laying back on the ground. After a long moment, Lauren joined her, staring up at the sky,

"This is peaceful." Lauren replied just before a jet took off overhead.

Neither realized how hard the other was laughing until the jet passed. The two looked at each other and broke out laughing again,

"Okay, so peaceful with the exception of the occasional jet engine overhead." Lauren corrected, causing both of them to laugh even more.

They watched as another jet flew overhead before Bo asked,

"So, all that time around the hangar and you never got to go up?"

Lauren shrugged, "I was terrified of flying... I know, I know... an astrophysicist and aeronautical engineer who is afraid of flying is the strangest thing you've ever heard."

"It really is." Bo smiled.

Lauren nodded, hesitating before she asked, "You'll take care of me up there, right?"

Bo nodded, "Killing a General's daughter would be a bad idea."

"True, but... well... I mean... I..."

Bo turned onto her side, resting her head on her hand, "Whoa, Sketch. Relax. I promise you'll be okay."

"It's... it's not you I'm worried about. Colonel..."

"Please, it's Bo."

Lauren took a few breaths, trying to calm herself, "Bo, I'm... worried."

"I told you..."

"No, it's not about you. I'm sure you're an excellent pilot. But... look... I'm adding up the pieces to a massive puzzle here and maybe I'm just being paranoid, but... look..."

Lauren sat up, crossing her legs and placing her elbows on her knees. She was struggling to organize her thoughts, but as she saw Bo sat up and mirror her position, she took a leap of faith that the pilot was smart enough to fill in any blanks she had and began,

"Your Father... if his death was more than a mere accident, we'll need to know who did what and why. There was a report that I read about your house being robbed twice."

Bo nodded, "Yes, about a week before my Dad was killed and then the day of his funeral. Pretty shitty day all around."

"I'm sorry to hear that, but if you put the three events together, does it seem at all suspicious to you?"

The pilot sat staring at Lauren for a moment before she looked out across the runway towards the hangars in the distance. She stood and began pacing back and forth as she searched her memory for any information she may have overheard during the investigations that took place for the three events, but could come up with nothing.

"Did anyone try to talk you out of becoming a pilot?" Lauren asked.

"You mean besides my Mom who was paranoid about losing me like she lost her husband?" Bo asked.

Lauren made note of her Mom's reluctance for Bo to become a pilot. She might need that information later, "Is there anyone else who was vocal about you joining?"

Bo searched her memory, "Well, your Dad was certainly not the most encouraging voice in the room. He was surprised that I was interested in getting into the cockpit of a jet after how my Dad died. He kept telling me how much of a fan of his he was and that I'd have to work hard to achieve was he had. I explained that I wasn't trying to compete with the ghost of my Father. I just wanted to fly jets."

"Oh." Lauren replied, unsure of how far she should push the issue. Despite what Bo thought about how she felt about pilots and despite the fact that she had been so obsessed with the X-2 that she had pushed to the point of potentially putting her pilot in danger, Lauren didn't want to screw up now. She didn't want Bo second guessing herself up there or getting paranoid that someone was out to get her, but she was worried.

"Lauren?"

"Wh-what?" Lauren looked up, "Sorry."

"I lost you again. That big brain of yours certainly does work overtime, huh?" She smiled.

Lauren stiffened before deciding she wasn't going to push the issue any more tonight, "You have no idea."

Bo nodded, "My sister Kenzi is like that."

Lauren smiled, "Your sister Kenzi didn't show up today."

"Why would she?" Bo asked.

"She's the person from the Intelligence community that is being assigned to Project Resurrection."

"Oh boy." Bo replied.

"Oh boy?" Lauren asked.

Bo shook her head, "She will not be happy that I'm flying in the X-2."

Lauren connected the dots quickly, "She'll be even less happy that your Dad's body is being exhumed."

"It'll be a coin toss between the two, but if she gets wind of any of this in the next twenty-four hours, she'll be on the first jet here."

They sat quietly for a moment before Bo sat up, taking a deep breath, "Well, I suppose we should get some rack time. Morning comes early around here."

She stood, offering Lauren a hand up which the blonde took with a smile. The pair began to walk back towards the barracks,

"Are you staying on base?" Bo asked.

Lauren shook her head, "Hotel."

"Wow. Posh digs. Good for you." Bo smiled.

"I'd hardly call my hotel room posh. It's definitely a no frills place." Lauren replied.

"I should give you some of my miles for an upgrade." Bo laughed.

"Anything I should know for morning?" Lauren asked.

"Eat breakfast at least two hours before take off so everything has a chance to digest... or skip breakfast altogether. You never know how you're going to react to flying and I'd hate for you to spew all over my cockpit."

"Noted. Anything else?"

Bo smiled as she turned left at the parking lot, walking backwards as she parted ways with the Doctor, "Don't be late, Sketch. Pre-flight at 0500. I know how much you like that pre-flight check."

Lauren stood watching as the brunette turned away. She smiled before calling out to the brunette, "I don't just like the pre-flight, I love the pre-flight, Stick!"

Bo gave her a wave, but kept walking. The blonde took a few steps backward, her smile stretching from ear to ear before she turned and walked to her car, happy that General Walker had refused to allow her to switch pilots.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Bo? I thought we were meeting on the tarmac?" Lauren asked, entering the hangar where Bo and Manes were working on an F-16.

Bo stood and ran her eyes over Lauren's attire, "Nice gear, Doctor. Have you been holding out on us?"

Lauren shook her head, "No, the Command Chief Master Sergeant gave this to me to wear."

Bo nodded, "I'm glad he did. We'll be pulling a few G's up there, so it's nice to know you won't pass out on me. I hate when passengers fall asleep. The least they can do is to stay awake for the driver, right Manes?"

"That's right, Colonel." Manes said dropping a wrench into the toolbox and coming to stand next to Bo.

"Is there something wrong with the plane?" Lauren asked.

Bo shrugged, sharing a glance with Manes before turning back to Lauren, "There was something wrong with the first plane. This one is ready to go. Checked from stem to stern by my favorite mechanic who is actually no longer a mechanic but the overseer of all mechanics... and budgets... and flight plans, etc. etc, etc."

Manes chuckled at the Colonel, "You're good to go, Ma'am."

Bo nodded, "Thanks, Manes. I appreciate the last minute change."

"No way I was sending the best of the best up in that hunk of junk, Ma'am."

"Hunk of junk?" Lauren asked.

"No worries, Sketch. Come on, let's get you the best view on the planet." Bo smiled, as Manes moved the ladder to the second seat and waved Lauren up the stairs.

The blonde looked like she might pass out at any moment, but Bo had seen that look a million times before. She smiled and walked up to the blonde, gently grasping her elbow to guide her to the base of the stairs,

"Lauren, I made you a promise."

"You did."

"So, this morning I came out and checked the plane that had been arranged for us. I didn't like the looks of a few things, so I called Manes who I have trusted with my life in combat situations. He agreed with what I found and had one of our newest F-16's brought into this hangar for a checkup."

Bo turned to Manes, "Everything checks out on this one, right, Manes?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Now, look at that face. Have you ever seen a more honest face in your lifetime?" Bo asked.

Lauren smiled at the Chief, "I suppose not."

"And that's how I know we're in the best of hands," she leaned into Lauren's ear, "That and the fact that I personally stood staring over his shoulder the entire time he was tuning up the aircraft. Now, if you'd like to give it the once over yourself, you can but then we'll have to enter a new flight plan. We have ten minutes to get onto that tarmac of lose our position."

Lauren sighed, looking between the two for a long moment before nodding and climbing the stairway. She stepped into the 2nd seat of the cockpit and pulled on her helmet while Manes moved the stairway for Bo.

"You think she'll be okay, Colonel?" Manes asked.

Bo shrugged, "We'll soon find out, Manes. At the very least, she'll finally understand what it's like on my side of the fence."

"You're going to let her take the stick?" He asked, surprised.

"That's an affirmative, Chief. She needs to feel the parts move to understand what I'm talking about in the X-2 simulator. This is the only way I know to get my point across."

"I'm sure you have many ways of doing just that, Colonel." Manes chuckled.

Bo climbed the stairs and entered the cockpit. She pulled on her helmet and gave a wiggle of her thumb and pinky finger, signaling Manes that she was ready for her headset. The Chief scaled the stairs and made sure both women were settled in, that communications were up and running and that all instrumentation was functioning properly. He descended the stairs and pulled the platform away before moving to the front of the plane giving a go-no go signal for flaps, rudder and lights to his pilot. He then moved to where they had mounted two AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles and two AIM-7 Sparrows beneath the wings. He checked that they were secure and moved on to the underbelly of the plane.

Since Bo had missed her monthly weapons qualifying round last week due to her Mother's funeral, General Walker had added it to her flight plan today to keep the brass happy. The flight plan had her flying a NATO mission, so she'd quickly reviewed the language for weapons release to make sure she'd get it right.

The chief hopped into the cart and began to push the aircraft back to the tarmac under the direction of his crew. Once in position, he pulled on his headphones and mic,

"All clear, Stick."

Bo ran through the pre-flight with Lauren, "Okay, Sketch. Let's run it. Fuel gauge."

"Check." Lauren replied with a giggle.

"I'm sorry, did my second seat just giggle?"

Lauren cleared her throat, "Sorry, Colonel. I just... I've only ever done a pre-flight in a simulator. This is the real thing and... well... it's just so exciting."

Bo laughed as she heard the woman rapidly clap her hands. She looked down at Manes who gave her a knowing grin before listening to the Colonel resume the check. When finished, she also reminded Lauren that no names or rank were to be used for the duration of the flight... call signs only.

Lauren nodded, leading Manes to jump into the conversation, "Sketch, remember that Stick can't see you nodding. When asked a question, you must give a verbal reply."

"Check." Lauren said, giggling again, her two thumbs popping up, signaling through the window to the Chief.

Manes and Bo laughed, the Chief shaking his head as he moved out in front of the jet on the runway. He held up two hands, waving one left to aid the pilot in lining up for take off. Once course was corrected, he gave Bo his little dance and thrust both arms towards her destination. She gave him a thumbs up and a salute before throttling up and hurtling down the runway with the sound of Lauren's excited giggle in the background.

Lauren's smile was stretching from ear to ear as the jet picked up speed and before she knew it, she was airborne, screaming with excitement as the sensation of weightlessness combined with the forces of takeoff made her stomach drop. She swallowed hard, convincing herself that there was no way she was spilling her cookies while Bo was her pilot. It would be way too embarrassing.

"Sketch? You good back there?"

Lauren grinned from ear to ear, "That was amazing."

Bo smiled, "Glad you liked it. Now, I've got orders to do a qualifying run."

"I was wondering why we had four missiles on our wings." Lauren acknowledged.

"You noticed, huh? It's a couple of Sidewinders and a couple of Sparrows. Sketch, be warned that they'll be sending up decoys that I will be required to avoid before they send up my aerial targets. It's going to force me to take evasive action, which could make this ride a bit more exciting than your stomach can handle. Manes put bags in the pocket next to your right knee. Please use them if you need them."

"I am determined not to soil your cockpit, Stick."

"Well, let's hope determination is a good replacement for experience. Here we go." Bo said, before beginning her descent towards the hard deck.

Lauren braced herself quickly, the steep dive taking her by surprise. Her eyes went wide as she felt the pressure build against her body, barely getting out the word,

"Bo."

The pilot felt her chest tighten at the sound of the blonde's voice, her anger flaring slightly hearing her name used on air, but kept her eyes on the first target, her hand firm, yet relaxed on the stick as her index finger wrapped around the trigger. This test was with radar down, so Bo was to eyeball the first two targets as she fired the two infrared-guided Sidewinders. It had been a while since she'd flown blind like this, but she liked her odds as the airborne mark came into view. She grinned as she whispered to herself,

"Hold... hold... hold... and..." She gave the trigger a squeeze and pulled back on the stick as she spoke clearly and quickly,

"Fox Two." Indicating, in NATO speak, one of her Sidewinders had been released.

"Whooaaaaaa." Came the groan from the 2nd seat.

"Hang in there, Sketch. Round two coming up."

Lauren nodded, unable to speak, instead bracing herself once again as the pilot looped up and over before making her descent. The blonde felt her stomach roll before the ground came into sight once again. She shook her head, trying desperately to shake off the dizziness only to feel her stomach drop again. She looked out on the wing, watching as another missile took flight,

"Fox two."

Again, the doctor groaned as the plane flipped wing over wing two times before righting itself again. The plane went into a steep dive and the blonde's helmet pressed against the glass, watching as the sandy ground below quickly approached. She pressed both of her feet against the floor of the aircraft, desperately trying to apply the brakes she didn't have before they crashed into the earth. They leveled out about two-thousand feet about ground before she heard Bo's voice again,

"Fox one."

The plane made a steep climb and Lauren saw spots forming in front of her eyes as she felt the G-forces pressing against her body yet again. She looked at one wing and then the other, thankful there was only one missile left. Her stomach was rolling and she wasn't sure she would be able to hold back...

"Mmmmwwoooaaaa." She groaned as the Colonel swept around for the last run. Just a few more minutes...

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Sketch? You with me yet?" Bo asked of her 2nd seat. She'd been calling to the blonde for the last few minutes. She'd either fallen asleep after the last run or passed out. She wasn't sure, but she had turned and headed back to base just in case it was the latter.

Finally, she heard a grumble followed by a moan,

"Sketch? You awake?"

"Mm-hmmm. I think I fell asleep... or passed out. Actually I'm not really sure." She admitted.

"I've turned us back to base to get you medical attention..."

"Don't you dare! I love it up here and I may never get another chance!"

"But..."

"Stick, I swear, if you put me down, I'll make your life a living hell for the duration of the Resurrection project."

Bo giggled, "You mean you haven't already?"

Lauren laughed as she replied, "I have not yet begun to be stubborn and controlling."

"Okay then. Off into the wild blue yonder we go." Bo said, looping around and heading back out to join their original flight plan, "Flight."

" _This is flight. Go ahead, Stick."_

"Change of plans, flight. The painting isn't finished yet. Sketch wants to continue. Belay medical."

"Roger that, Stick. Climb to 25,000 and we'll watch you from there. Paint the sky, Stick."

Bo smiled, "Got that, Flight. Out."

Bearing down on the throttle, Bo climbed to the designated altitude, rolling into the flight lane and continuing on the flight path.

"Any chance we can... I don't know... not... roll?" The Doctor asked.

Bo chuckled, "I'll do my best."

"Stick?"

"Yea, Sketch?"

"You were right."

"About what?" Bo asked.

Lauren sighed, "Everything."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Manes crossed his arms, signaling the pilot she was on target. The engine was silenced and the cockpit hatch opened, revealing the two women. He moved the ladder into position as they disconnected all of their gear. Finally the helmets came off, revealing smiles and laughter,

"Well, looks like someone had fun."

Bo smiled, "She's a natural, Manes."

"Well, I wouldn't say that. I did have that momentary lapse of... consciousness."

"Stick pulled a few too many G's for ya, Sketch?" Manes asked.

"I think she broke every theory of motion and physics ever written." Lauren replied, climbing from the cockpit as Bo stood by expecting her legs to be a bit wobbly... and they were. She extended a hand which the blonde took until she was steady, then headed to the stairway with Manes watching her carefully.

"Well, she is the best of the best, so I'm not surprised she put you into a bit of a tizzy there." He replied.

Lauren smiled, "Well, you'll be happy to know you have nothing to clean up in the 2nd seat. I managed to keep my cookies to myself... not that they didn't threaten to make an appearance. Of course, passing out probably helped."

Manes noticed how unusually chatty the Doctor was and looked at Bo who shrugged. The next thing they knew, Lauren was bidding them farewell and walking away,

"Hey, Sketch!"

The blonde paused for a long moment before turning to face the pilot, "Yes?"

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Lauren nodded, her hand coming to her mouth before she suddenly ran for the nearest patch of grass and unloaded the contents of her stomach. Bo wasn't too happy when Manes suddenly let out a laugh,

"Chief!"

He looked at Bo, the smile slowly disappearing from his face, "That'll be all, Chief."

He saluted, but Bo only shook her head, pulling her aviators up onto the top of her friend before releasing a long sigh. She waited until the third bout with her stomach stopped then walked to the blonde, kneeling just beside her and placing a hand on her back,

"Better?" Bo asked.

Lauren groaned, shaking her head, "Not even a little bit. The entire planet is spinning."

Bo laughed, "It does that."

"I mean spinning off its axis." She clarified before heaving again, only there was nothing left to dispose of since she took Bo's advice and ate very little this morning. Bo watched until the bout subsided before she'd seen enough suffering,

"Okay, okay. Here, let me help." Bo said, helping Lauren to sit down some distance away from the contents of her stomach.

The blonde gave a weak smile as she took the offered rag from Bo, "A bandana?"

"To wipe your mouth."

Lauren did as she was told then folded it, "I'll wash this for you."

Bo shook her head, "Nah, I'll do it."

"Really, I'm not going to let you handle my slobber. I promise you'll get it back." Lauren insisted as she began to put the cloth in the side pocket of her pants, but Bo stilled her hand, shaking her head,

"I really need you to give that to me. Please."

"Uh... okay?" Lauren replied, seeing the slightly irritated look on the pilot's face.

She watched as Bo folded the cloth over one more time before sliding it into her pocket and gripping the inside of her wrist between her thumb and first two fingers,

"What are you doing?" Lauren asked.

"It's a little acupressure trick. It doesn't work on everyone, but hopefully you're one of the lucky ones and the motion sickness will subside."

"Strong grip." Lauren commented, feeling awkward about the pilot's hand on her wrist and still wondering about the bandana, "So, is the bandana..."

"My Mom's. Well, technically it was my Mom's but to my Dad... well, he called it his good luck charm."

They sat in silence, Lauren staring up at the brunette's profile while Bo kept her eyes trained on the second hand of her watch while timing the acupressure treatment she was administering. Lauren felt something stir inside of her as she watched the pilot apply firm, constant pressure to the specific spot on her wrist. Her hands were strong from her job, yet her touch felt gentle... and something more that Lauren could not identify. Her dark strands of hair were beginning to curl slightly in the heat and she could see small beads of sweat beginning to form on the pilot's brow. Her eyes were almost black and her lips looked incredibly soft.

Shaking out her thoughts, Lauren pulled her head up and leaned it back against the tree while she watched Bo release her wrist, placing it on the blonde's thigh before she looked up at her,

"I'm sorry if I was abrupt. It's just that..."

"You don't have to explain, Bo." Lauren interrupted, "Clearly the bandana means a great deal to you. I don't blame you for not wanting to let it out of your sight."

Bo nodded, "It's okay."

She turned her back to Lauren and slid back to lean against the tree, their shoulders just touching, "I remember my Mom telling me that – when they first got married – my Dad used to come home and throw his change, his watch, his wedding ring, his pocket knife and often some lug nuts and washers on the table before going to take his shower. She would have to pick all of the stuff up to set the table for dinner. It used to drive her crazy, so one day she put a basket on the table for his pocket-emptying ritual. In the morning, he would put on his watch and ring, put his pocket knife in his pants and then head off to work."

She paused as a nearby jet engine cranked up, causing both women to cover their ears. Both women watched as the deafening sound launched into forward momentum, the plane disappearing from sight in fifteen seconds. Bo continued,

"The first day he was stationed here to test planes, he was sent up to test an engine that would eventually become the same engine they use on the space shuttles. Something went wrong on lift off and he had to make a hard landing. Obviously he lived, but my Mom caught wind of what happened and, well... let's just say she was a bit shaken up. It was the 80's, so when she worked out she always wore this bandana. She decided it would be useful and lucky for my Dad to carry. I think she just wanted him to have a piece of her with him."

"Don't most pilots carry a picture of a loved one?"

Bo nodded, "Some do, but my Dad said her beauty was a distraction. My Mom knew it was more than that. For a pilot to make life and death decisions for the 'good of the many', they have to think of them and the mission. He found that staring at the single most important person in your life makes it hard to take risks. Anyway, he agreed to carry the bandana."

Lauren's brow knit together in confusion, "But how..."

"Did it not burn up with my Dad?" Bo chuckled, "The night before his death, we were all working on a puzzle together as a family and he had moved the basket to give us room. We didn't finish the puzzle, so he never put it back on the table. He was late to work because our power was out, so left without the contents of the basket. My Mom always believed that's why he crashed."

"So you fly with it now?" Lauren asked.

"Always." Bo replied.

"And why do you think he crashed?" Lauren asked.

Bo looked over her shoulder, "Is this on the record?"

Lauren smiled, turning back to stare out at the sky, "Let's just say that, while I know we have our differences, I'm hoping that we can be friends, so no, this is not on the record."

"Friends, huh?" Bo asked.

"Is that so hard for you to imagine?"

Bo chuckled, "You want to put me up in the plane that killed my Father."

"I really didn't know..."

"You knew, Lauren. Come on, if you want to be friends, you can at least be honest."

She sat up quickly and spun towards Bo, instantly regretting it. She groaned as she grabbed her head, taking a moment to wait for the word to stop spinning before she spoke,

"Bo, I promise you that my Father did not disclose the reports of who you were to me. Until I was given the copy of the report that was not dedacted, I had no idea."

"But you picked me..."

Lauren shook her head quickly, "My Father picked you... well, I picked you from a list of qualifications, but he knew who every pilot was whose resumes I was given to read. There were no names on the files – it was a blind selection process."

"Why would they use a blind selection process?"

Lauren shrugged, "I don't know, Bo. Look, my Father brought me on to this base to do this job. I was given designs of five planes that had failed. I was hired to make those planes work by changing as little as possible."

"There's a fleet of each plane, right?"

"What?"

"They're trying to save on parts by making use of planes they already have." Bo replied.

Lauren was silent for a long moment before she replied, "I suppose that is possible. They are having me build the planes without changing the exterior. I've essentially been given free reign to built the guts of the aircraft inside the existing shell."

"And have you done that?"

Lauren shook her head, "Not with the X-2. It was... off the record, right?"

Bo nodded, "Off the record."

"I'm sorry, Bo, but the X-2 never should have gone up... never should have been built. Maybe it was just the engineering knowledge of the time, but... well, even that doesn't really make sense. The former plane was just never going to fly. I'm not sure what they were thinking or how it was approved."

"You don't?" Bo asked.

Lauren shrugged, "I only know that my Dad was one of the youngest Generals on the project and he was determined to make it a viable plane. His exact words were ' _to right the wrongs of the past'_ with these planes."

Bo sat fumbling with the ring on her middle finger, her mind a million miles away from where she sat listening to the blonde. Her mind raced with possibilities, but the more she learned about the past, the more she felt like it was coming back to haunt her.

"Is that your Father's wedding ring?" Lauren asked, trying to draw the brunette back out of her thoughts. Lauren didn't want to be intrusive, but she needed more information about the past in order to

Bo nodded, "It is. My Mom had it sized to fit me. I keep it in my pocket while I'm flying or on a mission, then put it on when I'm back on home soil. My sister Kenzi has my Mom's now. They were really close. While I was off with my Dad, Kenzi was always with my Mom. Of course, she wanted to be like me so it was only a matter of time until she fell in love with jets too."

They were quiet for a moment before Bo asked,

"So, what are you expecting to find in my Father's coffin?"

Lauren shrugged, "I don't know. What I do know is that I plan to leave no stone unturned. I will find answers for you, Bo. I worked two years with the TSA, so I know what to look for and so far, what I'm looking for isn't there."

"So something is missing?"

"There are parts of the plane that should not have burned up – at least not completely. My Dad was against exhuming the body and honestly, we fought loud and long over that one. You'll have to talk to your sister, but I heard him talking to someone in Washington two nights before we met. They don't want that coffin opened and I want to know why."

"Someone got to Kenzi." Bo said.

"What?"

"Kenzi wants answers as much as I do. Someone convinced Kenzi that exhuming the body wouldn't help... that she should just let it go."

"Do you know that for sure?" Lauren asked.

"No, but I'll find out soon enough. Do you know anything else about when she's arriving?" Bo asked.

"Only what my Dad said – she's delayed."

Bo shuddered, "But alive?"

Lauren looked up at her, "Why would she be anything but?"

"You want to be my friend?"

"I do."

"Then trust my gut."

Lauren sighed, "I'm not much on gut instinct, Bo. It's not that I don't trust you or want to be a friend to you. I work in science and scientific facts are how I make my decisions."

"Yea, well I'm a fighter jet pilot and I follow my instincts... instincts that come from thousands of hours in the sky and years dealing with the bureaucratic bullshit that happens on the ground. I know when I smell a rat and right now it seems like we have a problem that's going to require an exterminator."

"Well, then we have to find the facts that back up your gut, Bo. We can't just go pointing fingers. We need evidence."

Bo nodded, "So we're back to my Dad's body."

"I'm afraid so." Lauren replied, watching as Bo leaned her head back against the tree trunk again. She felt bad there wasn't more she could tell the pilot at this point, but she was pretty sure she would eventually uncover more on what had happened to her Father. For now, all she could do was to make sure she was safe flying in the X-2. She leaned her head back, smiling when she realized the world was no longer spinning,

"Thanks."

"For what?" Bo asked.

"For stopping the world from spinning. Whatever that pinch thing was, it worked."

Bo smiled, "Well, I had to do something. I mean, you looked kind of pathetic and it was probably my fault."

"Totally your fault, but I think I understand why they call you Stick. You really can handle a plane."

"I love flying. It's the one place I feel like myself." Bo replied.

"You don't feel like yourself on the ground? I mean... I hope you feel like you can be yourself with me. I mean... we are friends, right?" Lauren asked.

"The jury is still out on that one. I mean, if I crash and die in the X-2, we definitely weren't friends." Bo smiled.

Lauren chuckled, "Well, I guess I'll have to have a chat with your man Manes then... make sure he does a good job on the check up."

Bo nodded, "I know you're not happy about someone second guessing your work. I'm sorry that I have my doubts, but..."

"It's okay, Bo. You know, today opened my eyes to something I'd never realized. What you do up there... I mean, I was terrified right up to the moment where I finally realized that there was absolutely nothing I could do about what may or may not happen."

Bo looked over her shoulder at the blonde, "Why did that stop you from being terrified?"

Lauren smiled, "Because it was in that moment that I decided I had no choice but to trust you. It was a shitty feeling, but I knew that you had been flying F-16's since you were out of high school, so it just made sense to give you that trust. Besides, there wasn't anything I could do about it."

"Wow. The great Doctor Lauren Lewis gives up control."

"I know, alert the media. It's the story of the century." Lauren laughed at her own expense, "Seriously though, while we were up there, I realized what I'd been asking you to do and how wrong it was."

Bo looked confused, "What do you mean?"

"I was asking you to trust me when you have no reason to trust me. All you know about the X-2 is that your Dad was killed in it. Even though this one is a completely new interior, you have every reason to fear it."

"I'm not afraid." Bo replied quickly.

"I didn't mean to offend you. I only meant..."

"I know what you meant and I'm not afraid. I'm just not keen on putting my life on the line to see if your experiment worked. I have worth and I don't appreciate being tossed into a tin can like I'm recyclable."

"I understand that." Lauren began, but Bo was far from finished,

"No you don't. You don't know how it feels to be sent on missions knowing that you might not come back. You have no idea how many times I've been asked to risk my life for the good of the citizens of a country who barely know I exist." Bo raged, her closing remark leading her to stand and brush off her pants.

"Bo, please don't walk away angry." Lauren replied, standing up too quickly and needing to use the tree so she didn't fall.

The pilot sighed, "I'm..." She took a breath, "I'm not angry. I just... I don't know... when we talk about the X-2, I just get... I just don't trust you... I'm sorry, but I don't. If I don't trust you, I can't trust that plane."

"You don't have any reason to trust me. You don't know me. You don't know what I've done. You don't know my mind. But I'm getting to know you. Being up there with you today... seeing how you handled the F-16, seeing how focused you were and how determined you are in that aircraft was amazing. I know that if and when you get in the X-2, you will give her a fair and thorough test. It's exactly what I want for her. But Bo, I want you alive. You have to know that."

Lauren stood, staring at the brunette's back for a long while before she finally turned around, "I don't know that. I've been taught not to trust engineers and mechanics. As a matter of fact, on the flight here, I ran into one of my Dad's former 2nd seat pilots and he reminded me of that lesson. He reminded me that to engineers, pilots are a dime a dozen. If we crash, there's always another pilot who is ordered to take over their cockpit. The difference is that having the X-2 isn't life or death now, is it?"

Lauren shrugged, "If we want to have the best aircraft to protect our country then..."

Bo was ready to pull her hair out, "Oh, bullshit, Lauren. Who's feeding you that load of crap?"

"My Father told me the five planes my company was hired to make flight capable could make all the difference in..."

"Oh, stop! Listen to yourself! Your Dad is losing his mind and you're following his lead with my life and the lives of my friends!"

Lauren scowled at the comment about her Father. They weren't all that close, but the words still stung nonetheless. She'd known he was starting to degrade, but she'd acted on it by calling General Walker in to see for himself,

"I know all about my Dad's mental state. I'm the one that called General Walker and reported him. Do you think I feel good about that? Do you have to rub it in? I'm supposed to be there with them today when they tell him his career is over, but here I am listening to you trash him instead."

Bo frowned, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."

"Yes. You did. You meant every word and I understand."

Bo sighed, "I didn't have to be mean, so I am sorry."

Lauren nodded in reply.

"You know, some days I feel like pilots are going to be replaced by drones and the world is going to become one big video game to determine who wins wars. It would be nice, actually, but then what would I be? It's sad that I need a war to have a job. It's kind of sick, right? It's always bothered me. Anyway, I just... why can't we put the X-2 up by remote control for its' first flight?"

Lauren looked up at Bo, her eyes wide as saucers, "I... uh... I've just... well, no one has ever suggested that before, but... well, we have drone technology... I might be able to..."

"Wait... if you're about to go off on some science tangent, just save it for someone who understands." Bo replied, looking up as an incoming jet made itself known.

She turned to face the aircraft, "What the hell?"

Lauren smiled, "When General Walker told me I needed to work on our trust factor, I decided I would have to go a step further than flying 2nd seat with you."

Bo looked at Lauren, and then back to the aircraft, "What is it?"

"That's the plane your friend Lieutenant Santiago is flying. He ran a little errand for me."

"An errand?" Bo asked, "What is it?"

"It's called the X-15. It was well before your time, but..."

Bo nodded, "I saw Tamsin in the original yesterday. I recognized it right away, but I had no idea you were building a new version." She looked at Lauren, "Did you know that Neil Armstrong was one of the test pilots on the original? It was retired in 1970 and was a joint operation between NASA and the U.S. Air Force that started in the 60's. It set records for speed and altitude. Did you know it can crank to a velocity that's more than six times the speed of sound and that it still holds the world speed record?" Bo looked back at the new version of the X-15, "Damn! General Green gave that plane to Hale and gave me the X-2 instead? That's just not right!"

Bo moved to walk towards the plane as it touched down with Lauren right on her heels, "I asked him why he wasn't putting you in the X-15. He said the X-2 was more important."

"Why? It's a piece of crap. This could make it to space. I mean, it has a real shot. I don't know why they ever retired it."

"Cost." Lauren replied.

Bo chuckled, "Of course."

She leaned against the chain-linked fence, her fingers pushing through the opening as she looked in awe at the piece of machinery before her. She watched as the cockpit opened, revealing Hale and a second occupant,

"Who's flying 2nd seat?" Bo asked.

Lauren smiled, "That would be my errand."

Bo looked at Lauren, "Did you build this?"

The blonde smiled and nodded, "It's much the same as the original. I just upgraded parts and tech to make it flight ready for today's military. It has solar backup to increase flight distance. That was one of the biggest complaints about the craft in the 80's."

"She is a guzzler, huh?" Bo asked.

Lauren's face was filled with pride as she replied, "Not anymore she isn't."

Bo turned towards a familiar voice and saw her sister standing up pulling her helmet off.

"BoBo, you have GOT to fly this baby! Is my hair on fire? I think my hair must be on fire!"

A big smile spread across the elder sister's face, "Your hair is not on fire! Get down here and give me a hug! You're late!"

She laughed as she watched her sister exit the aircraft and run across the airstrip to the gate. Bo ran over to meet her, giving her a long hug, tears filling her eyes.

"It's so good to see you, Kenzi." She whispered.

Kenzi pulled back, looking into her sister's eyes, "Hale told me everything. Don't you dare get in that fucking plane, Bo."

"I had my orders, Kenz, but Sorensen went balls to the wall and bailed me out. Manes is checking out the plane."

"Manes? He's here? I thought he was in love with carriers for life." Kenzi laughed.

Bo smiled, "I think he's in love with Tamsin for life."

"Rage and the Machine. Cool."

Bo turned to Lauren, "Kenzi Malikov, this is Lauren Lewis. She's the engineer..."

"I know who you are and you're out of your mind if you think you're putting my sister into the cockpit of that death trap no matter what you've renamed it." Kenzi lashed out. As she went to dish out more, Bo stopped her,

"Kenzi, you left the Air Force for Military Intelligence, but I didn't. I have my orders and Lauren has nothing to do with those. She was hired to do a job and so was I, but for now, the X-2 isn't going up. Manes is giving it a check up before it goes up and..."

Lauren interrupted, "And Bo just gave me an idea for how we might keep everyone safe and give the X-2 her virgin flight while still satisfying the brass."

Bo looked at Lauren, "I did?"

"The drone idea? I think I can make it work." Lauren explained.

"I was just thinking out loud. I don't know if..."

Lauren shook her head, "You let me worry about General Walker. I have a feeling if I approach it from the angle you gave me, it might work."

"What angle was that?" Bo asked.

"The one that states that the original orders were given by a General who is mentally incapacitated." Lauren replied.

"Lauren, I don't expect you to..."

"It's the right thing to do, Bo." Lauren replied.

Bo nodded, "I just feel bad that you have to sacrifice your Dad's reputation..."

Lauren turned Bo away from her sister and pulled her a short distance away, "Look, Bo. I wanted to say something last night... I'm still not ready to say anything now, but... well, to quote you... my gut is telling me that what went wrong with the X-2 wasn't an accident. Tomorrow I'll have your Dad's coffin and the proper team to analyze everything. Manes should have his assessment of the new X-2 finished and we should all have answers. At that point, we'll start deciding what should happen next. Okay?"

Bo nodded, "Okay."

"Why don't you spend some time with Kenzi. I'm going to head over to see how Manes is doing."

"Sounds good, but don't hover, okay? Manes doesn't like it anymore than you do."

Lauren held up a finger as she answered her phone, "Doctor Lewis."

Bo watched as the blonde listened and nodded before she replied to the caller, "We'll be right there."

"Looks like you're going to have to delay that time with your sister. We're going right to work. General Walker is going to meet us at the hangar. Manes found something."

Bo's face went pale, "You mean..."

Lauren shook her head, "Apparently when he arrived this morning, a panel was open on the belly that my guys swore was closed last night. General Walker checked the video surveillance with the Chief Security Officer and apparently, they were unable to identify two of the guards and a mechanic who were at the hangar last night."

"Are you starting to like my gut a bit more?" Bo asked.

Lauren nodded, "I'm starting to like my own gut more. Come on."

"What about Kenzi?" Bo asked, turning to see her wrapping an arm around Hale's waist as he threw one over her shoulder.

"They're both part of Project Resurrection. They need to come with." Lauren replied as a private pulled up in a jeep.

"Santiago! Kenz! Duty call!" Bo said, getting into the jeep next to Lauren. She knew she needed to serve as a buffer between the blonde and her sister.

"Aw, come on! I haven't eaten for..." She checked her watch, "...almost three hours!"

"Come on, lil' mama, I'll buy you dinner after we get this business taken care of. Big brass is on base, so we need to make tracks."

Kenzi mumbled something to herself in Russian, but followed Hale as requested, sitting beside Bo in the jeep while Hale took shotgun next to the Private.

"So, what's up, BoBo? Did the Doctor find another body she wants to dig up?" Kenzi asked, leaning forward to look at Lauren, "Yea, I know who you are, bitch and you're not digging up our Dad."

Bo went to reply, but she felt Lauren nudge the side of her thigh. Looking at the blonde, she saw her shake her head and mouth the word, 'later'. She immediately understood that Lauren didn't want her to get into an argument with her sister over her decision to allow her access to the coffin and its contents. She would bring her up to speed later. For now, they needed to know what was going on at the hangar.

She felt Lauren's breath against her ear and it sent a shiver down her spine before she heard the words, "I'm so thankful you didn't get into the X-2 this morning. I'm also grateful that Tamsin is as stubborn as I am. Her little temper tantrum with General Walker forced him to put the flight on hold despite the brass wanting him to push forward."

Bo smiled, whispering back, "Well, I'm starting to wonder which of the brass is pushing this flight and the project. As for Tamsin, her call sign is 'Rage' for a reason."

Lauren chuckled, turning her attention to the road ahead and the answers she hoped to find for the Colonel and her sisters. Of course, she was also starting to feel she was pulled into more than just a plane-building project.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_


	3. Chapter 3: Conspiracy Theories

_**A/N:**_ _Thanks for the reviews. I know you want to see our favorite couple get together, but we're going to have to get through a little more time apart before that happens. I think of it as the building climax, right? Again, hopefully the military side of things is at least believable fiction! Enjoy!_

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Chapter 3: Conspiracy Theories**_

 _ **Nellis Air Force Base, X-2 Hangar**_

Lauren led the group into the hangar and was immediately shocked by what she saw. There were Air Force Military Police everywhere as well as some Air Force brass that she didn't recognize. Her shoulders relaxed a bit when she saw General Walker excuse himself from a conversation to walk towards her. She stopped, waiting for him to come to her and took the opportunity to look over her shoulder to where Bo and Kenzi stood frozen, staring at the resurrected X-2 Starbuster.

She could only describe the looked sad and angry all at once. She felt a pull in her chest as she allowed her eyes to settle on her pilot's dark brown orbs. Were there tears forming in her eyes? She shook off the feeling as she heard the voice of the General call her name,

"Yes, Sir."

"How was your flight this morning?"

"It was... enlightening."

General Walker smiled as he crossed his hands behind his back, "Glad to hear it. So, the Colonel's man Manes found something you should see."

"So I heard. I'd like to get right to it."

He nodded, motioning for her to move to the plane, "You go ahead. I'd like to talk to the Project Resurrection Pilots so I can get them out of here a-sap."

"Sir." Lauren nodded, taking her leave to see Manes.

General Walker gave the Master Chief a nod so he would know Lauren was cleared to proceed to the area, and then turned back towards the Colonel who had now been joined by the rest of the pilots. He waved her over as General Flanders joined him.

"Sir." Bo said, as the group popped a salute, "I take it we have a problem?"

"We do, Dennis and it's not a small one." General Walker began, "I see the little sister has finally joined us. What happened there, Malikov? Get caught in some of that red tape you were so anxious to leave us for?"

Kenzi laughed, "We've still got work to do, General, but your snark has definitely improved. I'm impressed."

"Good to have you hear, Malikov... you are still Malikov?" Walker asked.

Kenzi nodded, "I'm afraid that's pretty permanent, Sir. They have no intention of taking me off of the intelligence circuit, although I'm definitely curious as to what I'm doing here considering nothing about this project seems to have international repercussions."

General Flanders commented, "If the X-2 is successful in making the transition from Earth's atmosphere to space it will."

Kenzi laughed, "So you have decided to try again, huh? Three dead pilots wasn't enough?"

Bo coughed, "Three?"

Kenzi turned to her sister, and then back to the General, "I assumed everyone on this project was given the security clearance to know that information?"

The General shook his head, "We're still looking into exactly why their security clearance wasn't upped."

Bo turned to General Flanders, "Sir, you were second in command to General Green. Wouldn't you know the answer to my sisters' question?"

The General smiled, "I'm afraid the information that your sister just let slip is news to me as well, Stick."

"I don't understand. Why would General Green keep that information from the reports we were given?"

The General waved the group to a room off the hangar and led them all to where a conference table was waiting. An Airman handed him a briefcase, which he opened and then turned back to the group,

"Please. Sit."

The pilots, Kenzi and General Flanders all took a seat and watched as General Walker handed each of them a folder marked 'Top Secret'.

"This is from the Department of the Navy." Bo said.

General Walker shook his head, "Actually, it's from a certain Admiral you are all familiar with. I had Manes call his boss and call in a favor."

He turned to Bo, "Manes told me about a certain mission Top sent you on... a mission you somehow survived thanks to Manes recommending this team be sent to back you up... well, almost all of this team. It turns out that the Admiral is so grateful to Manes for his advice on that night, that he had a favor he could call in. The files are not actually from the 'Department of the Navy'. They're actually from a copy machine of a certain someone's office who put them into these folders to keep anyone from knowing Air Force information was being passed on to any of you... well, to me and then to you. Once I read the file, I knew that all of the people who had anything to do with this project needed to be read in to the full story."

The General took a seat and watched as Bo and Kenzi stared at the file, "You girls should know that this may lead to further information about your Father's death. I just want you to be prepared for that information. Malikov, you have the Pentagon security file about Project Resurrection. The rest of you have the Air Force files. All of you have Stick's mission orders and reports."

"Sir, I think at this point, we're both interested in the truth. Personally, I'm sick and tired of hearing people say that the crash was my Dad's fault." Bo began, before looking out the window into the hangar where Lauren was standing with her hands on her hips, shaking her head, "I think we're all starting to realize that nothing could be further from the truth. Hopefully, this information will help Sketch with her investigation."

Kenzi followed her sister's line of sight and rolled her eyes. She leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Please tell me you're not tapping that. The woman wants to dig up your Father's body."

Bo turned back to the folder, her fingers gripping the edges tightly as she forced her desire to blurt out the truth to her sister. She held her tongue when reason took over. Now was not the time for that argument. They would need a lot of open space and privacy for that one.

She looked up at General Walker, "Begging your pardon, Sir, but shouldn't Doctor Lewis and her people be in this meeting?"

"Her people are being vetted right now, as is she. Besides, I need her to meet with Manes first. I need her eyes on the X-2 to back up what he's found and look for anything he may have missed."

"Vetted, Sir?" Bo asked.

"She was quite eager to get you up in that aircraft yesterday, Colonel. We aren't taking any chances. We are also vetting General Green's connections." He nodded to General Flanders before adding, "We have also submitted ourselves for review. No one is above review at this point. Only your team and your sister are without suspicion. She'll be along in a while, as will Manes. We need their input here."

General Flanders added, "Your Father was my friend. You'll read it in the report, but I'd like you to know from me personally that the night of your Father's death, I was to be the pilot of the X-2. Earlier that day, I failed a G-Force Medical Test. I argued it, told them I was fine, but they wouldn't hear of it. I later found out from a nurse I fancied that they had changed the parameters for the test before I'd taken it. A day earlier, the Doctors would have passed me. Someone wanted your Dad in that cockpit instead of me. I'm sure of it."

"Why didn't you come forward sooner?" Bo asked, finding it hard to keep the quiver from her voice.

The General shook his head, "I did, Stick. I told General Green and then General Marshall."

"Thee General Marshall? As in the now Secretary of Defense?" Kenzi asked, shocked.

Bo turned to her sister, somewhat surprised, "You know him?"

Kenzi looked at Bo and hesitated before she finally spoke, "He's... my boss."

"Your boss? I thought you were military intelligence. Since when do you work for the DOD?" Bo demanded.

"I don't, really. It's complicated."

"Yea, well uncomplicate it for me, Kenz because from the sounds of it, your boss could have something to do with our Father's death!"

"And from the looks of it, your latest crush could have something to do with our Father's death!"

"My what?" Bo asked, completely baffled by what Kenzi was saying.

"Oh, come on. I know that look." The multi-colored sister replied, nodding towards the blonde engineer.

"Kenzi, what are you talking about?" Bo asked.

Tamsin stepped in, "Ladies, I think we've gotten way off track here. General, can we read the files?"

The General watched Tamsin's hand roll over a few times, her eyes working in tandem to beg him to move things along before the conversation became awkward,

He nodded and cleared his throat, "Carry on. I'm going to get the rest of the team so that they can bring you all up to speed on the events of the last 24 hours."

They all stood as the General rose from his seat, but he waved them off, "At ease."

Bo looked over her shoulder as he left the room, her eyes traveling once again to the blonde who had now scaled a ladder and was climbing into the lower hull of the X-2, a small flashlight clenched between her teeth, her arms overhead reaching for something inside. The pilot stood and walked to the door, watching in anticipation for several minutes before she felt someone standing beside her,

"Bo, we're supposed to be reading the file."

She looked up and nodded, her eyes traveling back to the engineer, "She found something... in the plane. I want to know what's going on."

Tamsin sighed, "What's going on is that you're going to read the file so that when she finds what she finds, you can start to connect the dots. Come on, Stick. Focus."

Bo looked up at her friend, "It's just that... I've been on a lot of missions and... I've done test flights before but..."

"Hey, it's me. You do you and I do me. Remember?" Tamsin reminded, "We can always be who we are around each other, no matter what. Something has you rattled. What is it?"

Bo nodded, "I've never been afraid before, Rage... afraid of dying. I've flown missions that I know I had no business surviving, but somehow I always did. For some reason, ever since I heard I'd be in the X-2, I've felt like this was it for me... that someone had finally punched my ticket. Today, when we walked in here and I actually saw that hunk of metal, all I could think was that the only place it was taking me was right to the pearly gates."

"First of all, there's no way you'll ever see pearly gates. You're too much of a bitch."

"Ha. Ha." Bo replied, rolling her eyes.

Tamsin chuckled, "Second, you're not going up in it today... and maybe not ever. Let's just get through this file. We all need to know what we're up against. I stuck up for you with the General..."

"Thanks for that, by the way." Bo interjected.

"Sketch told you?" Tamsin asked.

Bo nodded, "She said you were as stubborn as she is."

"Doubt that. Anyway, I stuck up for you because I've always believed in you and your gut. It sure did save our asses two years ago."

"Speak for your own ass. Mine got shot up pretty bad." Bo laughed.

Tamsin nodded, "Thanks to you flying intercept for me. I still owe you one for that night."

Bo shrugged, "I couldn't very well let my top secret backup unit get blown to smithereens. I promised the Admiral we'd all be back together."

"Funny, I told the admiral I'd get you back with your cargo no matter what it took. All this time, I thought I was the expendable one on that mission." Tamsin laughed.

Bo didn't see Lauren coming out of the hull of the plane anytime soon, so she turned reluctantly back to the table,

"I have a feeling that when we read these files, we're going to realize that I've been expendable for a very long time. Did Manes say anything to you?"

Tamsin tilted her head, "About what?"

Bo shrugged, "He started to say something the other day, but then he stopped short of telling me everything. I don't know how, but I could just tell there was something he wasn't telling me. Lauren too. I hate secrets."

"I know you do, but maybe they're just not ready to express their suspicions."

"So he didn't say anything about the X-2?" Bo insisted.

"Just that he was glad he was getting a chance to go over it before you went up. He also said that his time with our joint mission may be up. When he called in his favor with the Admiral, he told him that the Navy wanted him back."

"Shit. When?" Bo asked.

Tamsin shrugged, "I don't know. Apparently, the Admiral suggested that he try to transfer to the Air Force permanently. Because of his unique skill set with Air Force test planes and carrier assignments, he would likely meet their criteria."

"I'm not sure about that. I had a friend who wanted to transfer into the Air Force back in Afghanistan and it took over a year just to hear back."

"Did they get in?"

"Nope. He was denied."

"So he's still where, Army?"

Bo shook her head, "He was Marines, but he got rocked by an I.E.D. and got his walking papers. Well... walking is not exactly how he left."

"Shit, man. I'm sorry, Bo."

"Yea, so was he. His head was pretty messed up. He lost three friends in that bombing. He did CPR on the one guy for half an hour until a medic arrived and told him to stop. His wife calls me every now and then to check in – especially if he's not doing really well. She said it helps when he talks to me and this other guy Dominic."

Tamsin nodded, "It's good of you to be there for her... and him."

Bo nodded, "Yea, well he was one of the guys who pulled me out of that hole in the dirt."

Tamsin scowled, knowing that was one of the times that they'd thought Stick was gone for good. She'd been captured in enemy territory. Bo had never been willing to talk about what they did to her, but all of the pilots had noticed that she'd been forever changed. She had an edge to her after they'd found her in an underground cage, chained with her hands above her head, a thin tube of water dripping down onto her face. She was gone for two months and when they'd found her, it looked like at least that long since she'd eaten anything.

"Rage." Bo nudged the blonde, "Yo, you zoning out on me?"

Frowning, the blonde shook her head, "Sorry. A little flashback."

Bo chuckled, "More of that P.T. ?"

Tamsin grimaced, "It's not funny, Stick. You didn't see your starved bony ass. Some things cannot be unseen and that's one of them. Come on. We've got a file to read before the General comes back in with blondie out there. And, for the record, Kenzi's right. You look at that engineer like she's a mystery wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a mystery covered in chocolate... and we all know Stick loves her chocolate."

Bo smacked her friends' arm, "Shut it or I'll start calling you 'Rage and the Machine'... while Manes is standing right next to us."

"The band is Rage Against the Machine and don't you dare." Tamsin said.

Bo laughed, "Then don't _you_ dare."

"Deal. But I have zero control over your sister."

"No one has control over my sister." Bo said, taking one last look at the X-2 with the lower half of the blonde hanging out of it.

Bo pursed her lips, before whispering, "That sure is a nice lower half."

The pilot quickly covered her mouth, realizing what she'd just said. Surely she didn't think of the blonde that way. Lauren was stubborn, nerdy, snobby and had a massive ego. She also put her company paycheck before Bo's life. She was the daughter of the General who had insinuated her Dad had been at fault for the X-2 crash... the same General who had brought back the program or at least helped to bring it back. She had never flown and clearly couldn't handle a couple of G's. They were exact opposites.

Bo looked up again to see the General walking towards the blonde. She needed to get to the files before the General got back. Sighing, she watched as the blonde pulled a part out of the plane, descending the ladder as she inspected it. Manes and the General leaned in as she spoke, showing them something on the part. Hmmm... what was going on?

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"People, your attention please. Manes and Doctor Lewis have a report."

The soldiers stood until the General took a seat, all of them resuming their reading as if it were a bestselling novel. The General motioned for the two newcomers to take a seat and handed them both a copy of the file, giving them a short lecture about security protocol.

"I realize I haven't given you much time to read the report. Manes and Doctor Lewis, you've had none, but I'd like to move forward here as OSI and NCIS officials should be here shortly to..."

"OSI?" Lauren asked.

"Sorry, Doctor. AFOSI is the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, also known as OSI. We don't have a TV show like the Navy does, right Manes?"

The Chief smiled, "No you don't sir."

"Why the NCIS?" Kenzi asked.

"On a vote of no faith by me and the other Generals on base. We know something is going on here, but we don't know how high up the chain it goes, so OSI will lead the investigation, but NCIS will be conducting a parallel investigation while some of their personnel also supervise the OSI investigation."

"Whoa. That's some serious shi... stuff there, Sir." Hale said, biting his tongue.

The General nodded, looking out the window of the door, "That is some serious shit. For that reason, you should all continue with your reading. Our special investigators have arrived, so I'm going to go show them around. They have some things they'd like to review in the hangar before they join us."

They all nodded and resumed their reading. Manes and Lauren broke the seal on their respective files and followed suit, each of them anxious to learn more about what they were dealing with.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

It had been about thirty minutes and Bo Dennis was baffled. The facts were all there on paper and yet mixed on ion the pages, the word 'pilot error' had appeared at least five times. It was as plain as the bagel she'd had for breakfast that there had been an ignition switch warning during transition from Earth atmosphere to space and yet her Dad was never told to eject. The mission control transcript was verbatim from the black box... yet on another page, it was stated that the black box was never recovered.

She now sat with her head in her hands, elbows propped up on the table. She didn't know how long she'd been sitting in this position while the details of the report rolled endlessly around in her mind, trying to make sense, but an irritated voice finally brought her out of her thoughts,

"This is the biggest piece of bullshit I've ever read and I've read some serious bullshit working in D.C., kids."

Bo turned to her sister, "I'm sorry, would that be while working in Air Force Military Intelligence or at the Department of Defense?"

Kenzi sighed, "Lay off. We'll talk about that later. This is serious, Bo. There are more conflicting aspects to this report than colors in my hair. It makes no sense. I can't believe Top would have read this report and accepted it."

"My report is the same. Two different files, both with conflicting information even though one is from... well, wherever you work... and one is from the Air Force. So someone in both commands accepted the reports. This goes higher than the project Commanders like we always thought."

"Agreed." Came a voice from the doorway.

Everyone looked up to see a slender brunette wearing a power suit walk into the room. The woman immediately turned to General Walker who waved her to the table and turned to his officers,

"I believe introductions are in order."

The woman nodded, "Special Agent Evony Fleurette Marquis and this is..."

"No introduction needed. Everyone knows Ryan." The General interjected, turning to the former Air Force Officer, "Thank you for coming, Lambert."

"Of course, General. I already have my team combing through the old records and as my counterpart here said, we agree that there are many discrepancies in the report. I have no idea who or how this report was ever filed by anyone. It should have been sent to my office... well, my predecessor's office."

"You agree, Ma'am?" The General asked of Evony.

She nodded, "It's Special Agent now, Sir. I am no longer active duty in the Navy, but I do have many... special skills... that make me uniquely qualified for this investigation." She winked at Manes, which caused Tamsin to release what sounded to Bo like a growl.

She nudged the blonde beneath the table, leading the blonde to look at her through gritted teeth, "What?"

Bo whispered, "Did you just growl?"

"No." She insisted before both of them were drawn to the voice of the General,

"Please, take your seats. This is the Project Resurrection Team." The General motioned to the pilots as he spoke, "I believe you were given the names of all personnel, but we will be using call signs in all communications since we have concerns over transmission security while our pilots are in air."

"Of course, General." Evony replied with Ryan nodding beside her.

"Please note that all non-Air Force personnel have officially requested transfer to the Air Force as of this morning."

"Reason?" Ryan asked.

"They've been suddenly and unexpectedly recalled. Well, not officially just yet, but they received word via... friendly secure channels, shall we say... that such a recall was coming."

"Unusual." Evony replied.

The General nodded, "Agreed. Especially since this assignment was supposed to be indefinite."

"That was stated?" Evony asked.

The General nodded again, "According to the request filed by General Green, yes. I do not have record of the reply confirming. I can only assume that order was confirmed by phone or that the reply order was misfiled."

The investigators nodded, "Very well."

"Let's introduce you to the people you will be working with then. This is Naval Aviator Lieutenant Hale "Papa" Santiago, Air Force Captain Mark "Panther" Thornwood, Air Force Major Tamsin "Rage" Sorensen, Army Captain Sam "Tiki" Evans, Marine Captain Seamus "Boner" Williams and Colonel Ysabeau or Bo "Stick" Dennis. Her sister, McKenzie "Spitfire" Malikov is former Air Force who was transferred to Military Intelligence..."

He looked at Kenzi and added, "... or so we thought. Apparently she is now working under former General Marshall, current..."

"Secretary of Defense Marshall?" Evony asked.

The General nodded, leading both investigators to look at each other and roll their eyes, "Great." Evony replied, "This is going to be a real shit-fest."

Lambert nodded, "That's one way to put it."

The General finished his introductions, "This is Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, Michael "Machine Man" Manes and the owner of Lewis Aeronautics, Doctor Lauren "Sketch" Lewis."

Evony looked up at the mention of the company, "So am I to understand that your company was hired by General Green?"

Lauren nodded, "It was."

"And you are the General's daughter?"

"I am."

"Isn't that a bit of a conflict of interest or wild coincidence or something?"

Lauren frowned, "And by that you mean?"

"I just find it unusual that we are investigating your Father and not your company. I mean, he was the one who hired you to build these high-risk jets."

"First, I am undergoing the same background investigation as everyone else on base. Second, my company was deemed more qualified to build these particular jets than any other. Finally, I do not appreciate being treated like a criminal just because I'm the daughter of the General in question."

General Walker clarified, "Special Agent, please refrain from vilifying Doctor Lewis due to her association with the former officer. It is inappropriate. Further, she was not raised by her Father. She had no contact with him until about five years ago. By then, her company was already very well established and respected by the aeronautical world."

Evony turned to Lauren, "Is that correct, Doctor?"

"Yes, General." She replied to General Walker, choosing not to look at the brunette who had just insulted her reputation and integrity.

"So how did you reconnect with this absentee Father?" Evony asked.

Lauren sighed, realizing the agent wasn't planning on stopping her personal investigation, "We ran into each other at a conference and he informed me that he had been following my company's progress. He asked me to come on board with the project – that it was something that would be a great challenge for my company's cutting edge aeronautical technology division. I reviewed the information he sent me and went to the museums where the old planes were displayed to have a look."

"Was it love at first sight, Doctor?" Evony snarked.

Heaving a frustrated sigh, she replied, "I thoroughly researched the information I was given and then made some preliminary analyses as to what might be possible to correct the mistakes of the past. I presented those to my research and development team who conducted a feasibility study before we agreed to accept the military contract."

Evony nodded, "I see."

Lauren looked at Bo who just shrugged before she spoke,

"Are you getting at something, Special Agent?"

"Don't worry, I'll get to you soon."

"Oh, really? You're going to pick on the victim as well?"

"Victim? I believe you decided that going up in the X-2 was risky. You were ready to have them replace you as the pilot."

Bo stood up so quickly, her chair flipped back. She snapped at the brunette, "Listen lady, as far as I know, you don't outrank me, so let me be very clear. I was 100% ready to do my duty and fly that plane today. Many people acted to stop the flight and, as it turns out, it was a good thing they did or I wouldn't be standing here right now."

She placed both hands on the table and leaned across towards the brunette, "If you think otherwise, then maybe you're just another person from Top who wanted Stick Dennis on another suicide mission."

"Suicide mission?" Evony asked.

Manes closed the file and spoke, "Strangely enough, the full mission history of one Ysabeau Dennis from Airman to Colonel is in the file I have. I'm happy to note that my count was right on. She was sent on five missions where it is actually noted that the expected outcome was to be mission failure. Despite that anticipated outcome, it was deemed the intel was important enough to risk the best pilot the Air Force has to offer."

Evony looked up at the Colonel, "And did you attempt to refuse any of these missions?"

"No."

"Do you have a death wish?"

Bo scowled at the question, looking at Kenzi before looking back at the Special Agent who was looking around the table at everyone looking at Bo,

"Was that a difficult question, Colonel?"

Bo shook her head, "Given recently acquired information, I can see that it may look that way, but I have always followed orders."

Evony flipped open a file, "Well, from the information provided to me by Special Agent Lambert, it would seem that you rarely follow orders. As a matter of fact, you seem to ignore all mission protocol."

"I improvise." Bo replied with a smirk.

Evony sighed, "You survive, I'll give you that."

Bo turned to General Walker, "I'm sorry, Sir but I thought we were all here to compare notes, not to be questioned by Special Agents Mutt and Jeff here." She frowned, "Sorry, Sir. I'm afraid my patience is wearing thin in light of recent information."

Walker nodded, "I'm sure that what was in the file you read was a lot to take in, Stick. I'll excuse your sudden loss of composure and you're right. Let's compare notes. Lauren? Manes? What have you got for us."

All eyes turned to the pair seated at the end of the conference table, anxiously awaiting the information they had to contribute. Manes spoke first,

"As you know, Stick, I came in today to ready the F-16 for your 0500 qualification run and training flight. I arrived in the F-16's hangar around 0400, checked our plane, got you out of the hangar and then returned to the X-2 Starbusters' hangar around 0530. When I arrived, the door lock was busted, so I immediately looked for the MP's but there were none. I called the Duty Officer and there were definitely MP's scheduled. They sent additional MP's who entered and found no one. I called the General."

General Walker filled in more of the story, "I notified Top, as required and then OSI. I then called Command Chief Master Sergeant Ellis since the hangar is his responsibility."

Evony interrupted, "It says in this report that Manes is his superior?"

"It also notes that Manes is on Special Assignment from the Navy. Security starts with Air Force personnel despite their position in the chain of command."

"Noted." Evony replied, "Continue, please."

The General nodded to Manes who began again, "So they searched the hangar top to bottom for anything that might be missing, misplaced or planted but found nothing. When Ellis arrived, we went to have a look at the security cameras and found out that the MP's were here, but they were wearing baseball caps that covered their faces, but we noticed something else."

"What was that?" Bo asked.

"They were wearing shiny shoes."

"Shiny shoes?" Evony asked with a laugh.

Manes scowled, "As in military dress shoes. MP's wear combat boots, not dress shoes. On camera, you can see them run from where they were supposed to be stationed to grab a duffle bag, pull a crowbar from it and pop the door lock."

"That simple, huh?" Bo asked.

"That simple." Manes replied, "They then move their operation indoors."

"Please tell me you guys had cameras inside this hangar." Kenzi said, growing more frustrated with the security around this project.

"We had cameras inside this hangar." He pointed at the screen mounted on the wall, "Looks like a TV screen, but is actually a computer screen with a webcam that is always running. Similar cameras are mounted around the facility, courtesy of Lewis Aeronautics."

Lauren shrugged as all eyes turned to her, "I wanted to take additional security measures. All of our buildings have state of the art security. I was surprised that the Air Force hadn't invested in something similar with the importance of the project, so I brought some of our equipment over and adapted it to what was here."

Kenzi sighed, leaning over to Bo, "Okay, so she gets points for tech smarts."

Bo chuckled, smiling easily at Lauren who gave her a tight smile as Manes continued,

"They entered the hangar and began looking around. They took pictures of everything and I do mean everything."

"Bathrooms?" Kenzi smirked.

"They took pictures of the hangar doors, every inch of every plane in here, the offices and every file they could find. Finally, they focused on the X-2. After they finished taking pictures of the outside, they entered the cockpit and some outer panels... they were in there for a while. Then they changed into standard dress blues with brown leather A-2 flight jackets."

"Shit." Whispered Kenzi.

"Why shit?" Evony asked.

Bo responded, "A-2 flight jackets are very specific. Their wear is only permitted by aeronautically rated officers, enlisted aircrew, and officer and enlisted space and missile operations personnel. We've just limited your suspect list as to who broke into the hangar. You're welcome. Anything else, Manes?"

Manes nodded, "They installed this..."

The Chief reached down beside him and pulled a clear plastic bag up onto the table.

"What is it?" Bo asked, but Kenzi answered,

"Fuck me. Seriously?"

Lauren's eyes moved to Kenzi's, "You know what this is?"

"Yes, don't you, Doctor smarty pants?"

"Yes. I'm just surprised..."

"I work for Military Intelligence via the Department of Defense. My specialty is foreign military aircraft... you know, stuff they use to spy on us and shit?"

Bo groaned, waving her hands, "Will one of you just share with the rest of the class, please?"

Kenzi looked at Bo, "You know how when we were kids and we took our Behind the Wheel Driver's Course because Mom said she would have a nervous breakdown if she had to teach us how to drive?"

"What does that have to do with..."

"Do you remember that creepy Mr. Stanley had a steering wheel and brake on his side of the car that allowed him to take over if we screwed up?"

Bo nodded, "Yea, but..."

"This device is Mr. Stanley's steering wheel." Kenzi replied, watching her sister's face as she slowly began to understand what she was saying.

"So with that installed, they could take over the plane anytime they wanted." Bo replied, her face as still as stone.

Lauren nodded, "I'm afraid so, but they also had a backup plan."

"Right." Manes nodded, pulling up another bag, "Inside the control panel was this chip."

Lauren explained, "It's a guidance chip. I think you can connect the dots."

"So they could have taken control of the plane two different ways?" Tamsin asked.

The pair nodded, Manes rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"What else?" Bo asked, drawing all eyes to hers.

Lauren looked at the General who gave a slight cock of his head, before he looked back to Bo, "Why would you think there was something else?"

"My sister here is an expert poker player. She taught me about 'tells' when we were teenagers. I've known Manes' tells since the first week on the Carrier. What else, Manes?"

"Bo, they had control of the plane. What else do you need to know?"

"Why you're hiding something from me." Bo replied.

"Tell her, Chief. That's an order." General Walker said, closing the file in front of him and sitting back in his chair.

Manes ran his hands through his hair before pulling another bag up onto the table, this one much larger. She could see Lauren's eyes look at the object. What she saw in the blonde's eyes was fear.

"This was under the panel and attached to the ignition switch."

Bo took the bag and looked at the device before hurriedly flipping through the pages until she found a picture. She held the device in one hand and the picture in the other before she dropped both and ran out of the room.

"Stick, I'm sorry. I didn't want to..."

"Stick!" Tamsin yelled before looking at the General, "Sir, permission to..."

"Go."

"What the hell is going on?" Kenzi asked as she watched Tamsin run from the room.

General Walker leaned forward, "Your sister is the only one that was given the full file on your Father's crash. Doctor, if you would explain?"

Lauren sighed, looking at the younger sister of her pilot, "If you look at the picture and the device, you'll see that they're identical."

"Yea?" Kenzi said, comparing the two, "So why did she run out?"

"The photo is of a device that was found... I'm sorry, Kenzi but Bo gave me permission to exume your Father's coffin."

"You did NOT!"

Lauren ignored the outburst, "There was no body! There were no ashes! There was no sign of your Father's remains anywhere. I had suspected as much but needed proof. Since you refused, I asked her and she agreed."

Kenzi stood still, her focused glare slowly contorting into a confused look of shock, "But... what did we bury?"

"The parts that would prove that your Father was not at fault. That photo is a picture of the device that was in the coffin along with two pieces of the plane that conclusively prove that your Father's plane was sabotaged."

Kenzi fell back into her seat, a look of shock on her face as she continued to stare between the two items in her hands,

"I'm sorry, Kenzi. I promised Bo I would find the truth about what happened to your Father. He was murdered. I don't know who or why but I now know how. I believe that since we now have that evidence, General Walker has invited these investigators here to find those answers."

General Walker sighed, leaning across the table to take Kenzi's hand, "I'm so sorry, Spitfire."

She nodded, her eyes welling with tears, "I guess at least now we know that all of the shit in these reports about pilot error is a lie." She looked up at General Walker, "They're going to bestow all of the awards and ranks he should have had post-mortem... and they're going to pay..." she turned her eyes to Ryan, "... Lambert, you make sure they pay. All of them."

Ryan nodded, "Kenzi, I will. But right now, we have to play our cards very close to the vest."

"No, I want them now. Green first! That S.O.B. made my Mom's life a living hell after Dad died. Bo was about to enter basic and he kicked us off base. We had no money, no home... nothing! He got his promotion and then used it to make Bo's life a living hell too. He couldn't mess with me once I moved to intelligence but those missions always had Green's dirty little fingers on them."

Evony had been paging through the reports in the file she'd been given and finally spoke, "These missions are highly irregular. Why didn't your sister report them?"

"She did, but according to Green, her reports were always unwarranted. No one would return her calls directly. Everything went through him."

"Until she was on the carrier. That was when the Admiral put together this joint task force. He always had her back... and his suspicions." Manes said, wanting Evony to have all of the information he had.

"Wait... if these two devices are the same, then..." Kenzi stopped, seemingly unable to say the words, so Lauren finished them for her,

"Someone attempted to do the same thing to this X-2 as they did to the other. They would have killed her if she had gone up. The question is, why?"

"Correction, Doctor. The question is who? If we know who, we can find out the why." Evony replied.

Kenzi snapped out of her daze, "So what do we do?"

Lauren looked at Manes and then at Kenzi, "We crash it."

"What!"

"Not with Bo in it, although we make sure they think Bo is in it." Lauren said, looking at General Walker.

"How do we crash a plane without a pilot?"

"How did they plan to crash the plane despite a pilot?" Lauren asked.

Evony turned to Lauren, "You can do that?"

Lauren nodded, "Bo and I had actually been discussing installing my company's drone AI into the plane so that we could test it without risking her life. We simply follow through on that plan, only we attach the bomb to the ignition switch, making sure to put all of the other devices back where we found them. After the crash, they'll be looking for the pieces and they'll have all they expect to find. We check to see who signs the reports and who comes calling to pick up parts and give their sympathies."

"Speaking of, who signed these reports?" Kenzi asked, leafing through her file.

"My Father." Lauren said, tossing her pen onto the file cover and sitting back in her seat. She looked up at General Walker, "I'll understand if you want me off of the project."

He gave her a kind smile, "I'll understand if you don't feel you can work on the project anymore."

Lauren nodded, "You forget, General. I never felt any real loyalty to my Father. You also forget that I was a disappointment. I didn't go into the military, remember? Besides, he used me. Bo would be dead today if it weren't for you. I'm just glad they hadn't gone after any other planes."

Tamsin chuckled, "Yea, well I wouldn't be too sure they wouldn't have done that after they took Bo down. And Kenzi is working at Tops. Whose to say they aren't going after her, too? What's the motive here?"

"I think this is the motive. I think Jack's daughters have been getting closer and closer every year to the truth and they want... no, they need to stop them. If word gets out that they killed Jack... who knows."

The door opened and in walked General Flanders, "John, is it true?"

General Walker stood, "Carl, you remember Kenzi Dennis, Jack's youngest daughter?"

The new guest to the meeting held his superior's eyes for a long moment before taking a breath and turning to Kenzi,

"Of course. His little Spitfire. I thought you were working at Top and had taken on your Mother's Maiden name for security purposes?"

She nodded, "All true. I'm here for this special project."

He nodded, "Right." Looking up at the General, "So, can we talk?" He motioned over his shoulder to the door, but Kenzi waved him off,

"It's okay. The bomb has already been dropped. Dad was murdered, but now you're part of the secret society, so have a seat and be sworn into the circle of trust." She motioned to the seat across from the General.

The General laughed, but Kenzi insisted, "Seriously, dude. My sister's life and possibly the lives of everyone in this room are possibly at risk. We need to know you can be trusted before you go anywhere."

General Walker nodded, motioning to the seat, "Please, Carl. Let me bring you up to speed."

They all sat quietly while General Flanders was brought up to speed. Lauren took occasional glances over her shoulder. She couldn't help but wonder where the brunette went and whether or not she was okay. The truth was, she wanted to run from the room as well. The feeling of guilt for almost getting the pilot killed was almost too much to bear. She wished that she could close her eyes and this would all be over, but the truth was, it had only just begun and now she wondered just what her Father had gotten her into.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Tamsin ran out of the building and surveyed the area, heaving a great sigh when she saw no one. Placing her hands on her hips, she cocked her head,

"Damn. Girl be fast. But this girl is smart and she know all of girls' hiding places. Nervous jitters over flying, airstrip. Daddy issues, nearest watering hole."

She walked to the parking lot, pulling her keys out of her pocket, "Hmmm... car's gone. Imagine that."

Tamsin smirked, pulling on her helmet before hopping onto her motorcycle. It took her about ten minutes before she arrived at The Dal Riata. She smiled, knowing that Bo was likely getting some good advice right now, but would love to have a friend sitting on the stool beside her, even though she would never admit it at first.

Entering the bar, she returned Trick's smile when he nodded to Bo. He nodded towards the row of shots in front of her and turned to look up at the picture of her Father on the wall. Tamsin nodded, acknowledging that she knew what was up. He picked up a towel and a glass and turned his back to Bo. The two of them knew this routine well. Tamsin had been with Bo through both Red Flag and Green Flag training. Tamsin wasn't called up for WSINT Training yet, but that's why she had requested this gig as a test pilot. She was hoping it would lead to her being nominated to the advanced weapons and tactics program and that, would in turn, lead to her promotion to Colonel.

But that wasn't why she was here. She stared up at the picture of Bo's Father on the wall. She'd never known the man, but everyone – including Trick – talked about him like he was God's gift to the Air Force. Plus, he was an all-around great guy and her friend's hero. She often wondered what it would have been like to fly with him. Bo had talked about it a few times, but she never flew in battle with him. That's what Tamsin was truly curious about. There was also that one morning where she'd woken up and felt like she needed to take ten showers to wash off the sexual fantasies she'd had about her friend's father the night before. She couldn't help it. It had been a very, very long time since she'd gotten lucky and the man was definitely handsome.

She sighed, shaking out the memory and focusing on Trick who was looking at her with wonder as to why she hadn't approached Bo yet. Truth was, she was stalling and she knew it. This could go one of two ways and sideways was not a direction she was interested in going. Drunk Bo was never very good with reason. She supposed she should jump in and down a couple of those shots before the brunette drank them all... or at least before Trick announced her arrival to Bo.

Trick was the owner of the bar and a retired member of the military intelligence community. Both his Grandfather and Father had served as well as both of his Uncles and his only brother who was killed in action. His Father had convinced Top Brass that Fitzpatrick could be very useful despite his short stature. Apparently as a child, he had delivered messages for the allies when the war came to their lands. He was very good at moving in and out of tight places, gathering and delivering intelligence.

Yes, Trick would never fly a jet, but he certainly became one of the most well known spies of his time. He usually infiltrated enemy territory as an unsuspecting vagrant. It was brilliant, really. After her Father's death, he had become Bo and Kenzi's advisor, of sorts. He'd had a great influence on Kenzi, which is why she'd gone into intelligence. The best story of his years with the younger Dennis on base was when she won a bet that gave her free drinks for life. He can't say everyone didn't try to warn him not to make a bet with the street-smart youngster.

She shoved her hands in her jumpsuit pockets and strode up to the bar,

"Hey there. You ran out pretty quickly." Tamsin said, sitting beside her friend.

"Yea, well I guess I was a bit overwhelmed by the news that my Father was murdered." Bo said, knocking back another shot and putting the glass down beside the four empty glasses lined up in front of her. Seeing two shots remaining, Tamsin picked up one and downed it, then picked up the other, earning her a glare from Bo. She raised two fingers to Trick who looked at Tamsin. He walked away when she shook her head,

"You're on duty and you're drinking? It's not like you to break regulations, Stick."

"Didn't you hear Special Agent Marquis? I rarely follow protocol. Besides, it's not every duty day that you find out your Dad was murdered by someone in Top Brass and now they're coming after you the same way."

"Yea, well your friend Sketch has a theory and a plan for that."

Bo laughed, "The Doctor has a prescription to cure my impending death?"

Tamsin nodded, "Well, since you put it that way, yes."

"This should be great. What is this brilliant plan that has been concocted by the daughter of my Father's murderer?"

"What makes you think it was the General?" Tamsin asked.

"Come on, Rage. Greens' grubby paws are all over this."

"That may be, but she had nothing to do with it, Stick."

"She almost put me up in her death trap today." Bo replied.

"That was never going to happen."

"Because you talked Walker out of putting me in that plane. Given her choice, she would have put me up. She fought to put me up. She wasn't giving up on putting me up. Tell me she didn't fight you and Walker on it when you were in that meeting."

Bo had a point and Tamsin knew it. The doctor did fight to put that plane up, but everyone agreed that it was likely costs and ego... or maybe ego, then costs but no one believed Lauren was involved in the plan to crash Bo's plane.

"If that was the case, why would she have gone up with you this morning?" Tamsin asked.

"Why would she crash a plane that she was actually in to kill me?" Bo asked.

Tamsin sighed, knowing that Bo had a point, "Well, I was coming from the angle of her being innocent until proven guilty. They could have taken both of you out this morning."

"Or they could have taken me out on the private jet that was supposed to bring me here, to Nellis."

Both women turned to see Lauren standing behind them, her hands shoved into her pockets while her eyes pleaded with Bo to hear her out. The pilots looked at each other for a long moment before Bo reluctantly nodded to Tamsin,

"I'll just take my shot and head over here to amp up my game for Friday night." Tamsin said, pointing to the pool tables in the rear of the bar.

Bo nodded at her friend who walked away, then turned back to the Doctor, "You have five minutes."

Lauren watched as the pilot turned back towards the bar, Trick's eyes finding hers. He gave her a kind smile,

"And what might I get for our beautiful guest?"

Lauren blushed, "Whatever you have on tap is fine."

She sat beside Bo and placed her elbows on the bar and watched Trick place a coaster and napkin in front of her,

"What do I owe you? Just in case my five minutes are up before I finish." Lauren smiled.

Trick looked at Bo, giving her a warning glance. The brunette sighed, "Trick, this is Doctor Lauren Lewis. She's the..."

"Wow. You're the genius who developed the F-35 Lightning 2. What an incredible aircraft." He smiled.

Lauren sighed, "if we could get it into production, yes it would be. The Pentagon doesn't want to spend the money to put its' pilots into a better plane when the current planes are doing fine."

"The current planes are aging and outdated... much like me." Trick laughed, at his own expense.

"Well, if you are who I think you are, you are anything but outdated. It was your surveillance reports that allow my research and development team to make the most full-proof plane we have to date."

"Trick?" Bo asked, "I thought you were retired?"

"It's classified, Bo. All I can tell you is that Kenzi needed some help and I assisted."

Bo nodded, "Okay, well... thanks for having her back... I guess."

"You know I will always have the backs of my two favorite jet jockeys." Trick smiled, turning back to Lauren, "Well, I hope they get your new plane up in the air soon." He turned to Bo, "I think even a hard sell like Stick would be hard-pressed to find anything she didn't love about it."

"Hmmm... I wonder. Does it come with a bomb and extra guidance chips in it?" Bo asked, glaring at Lauren.

"Bo, you can't really think I had anything to do with this. We're the same age. I had no contact with my Father when your Father was here."

"Yea, well your Father could easily have pulled you into the fold to finish the job." Bo argued, her speech slightly slurred.

Lauren leaned against the bar, "And what job is that?"

"To kill anyone who could dig up the truth!" Bo snapped her reply.

"Well then, you'll be happy to know that they are probably after me as well."

Bo shook her head, "You're on the inside. They won't hurt Green's daughter."

"Oh really? Well, maybe you'll want to gather all of your facts before you start pointing fingers." Lauren argued.

"Yea, well maybe your five minutes is up!" Bo barked, earning a disapproving glare from Trick who leaned in closer to his protégé,

"Bo, why don't you start by asking the good Doctor what she meant about her private jet?"

"What?" Bo asked as Lauren threw a ten-dollar bill on the bar,

"It's okay, Trick. Thank you for trying." She turned to Bo, "I'm sorry I tried to help you, Colonel."

He held up a finger to Lauren, his eyes pleading with her to stay a moment longer. She sighed, standing at the bar, but not retaking her seat. He turned to Bo,

"When she came in, she mentioned something happening to the private jet that was supposed to get her to Nellis." Trick reminded.

Bo sighed before turning to Lauren, "Fine. What he said. What happened to your jet or whatever."

Lauren stood at the bar, wrapping her hand around the handle of the frosty mug of beer before she began,

"I own an aeronautics company. Does it seem strange to you that I flew commercial to Nellis?" Lauren asked.

"What?" Bo asked.

Lauren sighed in frustration, "I said..."

"I heard what you said." Bo interrupted, "Sorry. Too many shots is clouding my ability to put together pieces of a puzzle. Can you just get to the point? Please?"

"I left for Nellis from a meeting at the Pentagon in my company's private jet months before I actually arrived on base when you did. I had been at the Pentagon to meet with General Walker and some of the Top Brass on the Resurrection project. That was when I expressed my concerns about my Father, not the day you arrived. As I told you before, I've had my suspicions about his mental health for quite some time. It was there that General Walker and I began to put some of the pieces of the puzzle together. It was there that he ordered me to begin my investigation into what happened with the previous X-2. He wanted to have that information just in case it really was mechanical failure or pilot error."

Lauren sighed, "But my suspicions have always been that it was more than that. I believe that General Walker wanted to know what happened to a friend... a man I now know was his friend as Walker was to your family."

"When Green was trashing us, Walker was working to keep us afloat. We lived in his in-law quarters until I finished basic and got my first assignment. Unfortunately, that didn't come with housing, it came with an aircraft carrier. Then I was moved to Afghanistan, then to the carrier and then back again... well, you get the picture. Anyway, once I had made enough money, I bought a house and my Mom lived there until she died."

Lauren nodded, "I'm sorry, Bo. I didn't know."

"Yea." Bo replied quietly, "So why were you late to Nellis? Don't tell me your own company-made private jet broke down."

"More like had to make an emergency landing... a hard landing." Lauren explained, cringing at the memory.

"What?" Bo asked.

"The Air Force wanted to inspect the plane, but it was not their property, so I was able to keep any information about out findings from them. When asked – in casual conversation by my Father – I told him we didn't find anything glaring. I told him that it must have been spark in the ignition system because the entire area of the plane caught fire. I told him the fire did too much damage to make any clear-cut diagnosis."

Bo nodded, "But that was all a lie?"

Lauren smiled, "Every bit. The chip we found in the X-2 is an identical chip to the one found in my personal plane, except there was no explosive attached. There was a residue that was clearly an explosive compound but it was only enough to take out the... well, in layman's terms, it's the system that tells the engines to keep running."

Bo nodded, "So what happened after that?"

"I cleaned house at my company, laying off any unnecessary staff and anyone who had any military background whatsoever."

"You severed the military connection. Smart." Bo replied.

Lauren shrugged, "I fired the security company we used and worked with my research team to use our existing technology for planes and adapt it to the building. Of course, a week later, we had a break in, so we moved the entire company to a new facility... in Canada."

"What?"

Lauren shrugged again, "Our new security is made up of all retired SOAS members."

Bo nodded, "They're Special Operations Aviation Squad. Smart. You used all aeronautic specialists."

"I made sure none of them had any military connections to the USA, past or present. Not even a joint mission. They were read in on the entire situation and are as determined as I am to get to the bottom of what's going on. They were the ones who retrieved your Father's body last night under the cover of darkness. They decided to open the coffin in the field rather than bring it back."

"What did they do with the remains?" Bo asked.

Lauren gave Bo a sad smile, "As I told Kenzi after you left... and she's okay, but the way... there was nothing in there but the parts that Manes showed you... and a few other parts. My team was able to retrieve the parts and return the grave to its original condition."

"So no one knows we're on to them." Bo replied.

Lauren nodded, "For now, anyway. My team leader is going to return the parts to the coffin for safekeeping."

"No. If they find out we're on to them, they'll retrieve the parts themselves and put them somewhere we'll never find them. They're evidence. We have to keep them somewhere safe for when we can bring everyone involved to justice."

Lauren nodded, "I suppose I can salvage the parts from my private jet and the new X-2 to plant in place of the originals."

Bo's eyes went wide, "You're going to blow up the X-2 to get parts? I thought she was your baby?"

Lauren scowled, "I will never finish the X-2 now. Too many people have died for that plane. I'm starting to think the mission was a planned scrap from the start."

"A means to an end, huh?" Bo asked.

"Why did they want your Father dead, Bo? Do you really think it's because the X-2 was a failure and rather than admit it, they decided to create a tragedy that would serve as the rationale to scrap the program?"

Bo thought hard for a moment, "Nah. The Air Force prides itself on discretion when it comes to its budget and fleet investments... like that new plane Trick was talking about with you. Cost overruns are a common reason new fleet additions find the junk metal pile."

"Yea, well the program cost almost a billion dollars. It seems like a waste of money to not build the fleet at this point. Building the planes will cost next to nothing once the testing is complete. I can't understand how they can put humans in a cockpit and not surround them with the very best chance of returning safely. It boggles the mind. Yes, my company is pricey, but we're pricey because we build the plane with the best chance of success for all parties... including the children who are counting on the pilot coming home."

Bo laughed, "So you wanted me up in the X-2 because I have no wife or kids, huh?"

"Wife?" Lauren asked.

Bo blushed, "Sorry, but... well, I prefer the fairer sex. Not that I haven't had experiences with the more scruffy-faced sex, but I prefer long, silky smooth legs wrapped around me to hairy muscle-bound... well, you get the picture. I apologize if that makes you uncomfortable."

Lauren smiled, "Not at all. If anything, it makes me more comfortable to meet someone from my... uh... community."

Chuckling, Bo nudged the blonde, "You're adorable when you're uncomfortable."

"Yea, well I never really grew out of my nerdy, awkward teen years." Lauren smiled.

"Like I said, adorable." Bo returned the smile and shared a long gaze, "So, what's your plan to fake these X-2 parts?"

Lauren took a deep breath, her face twisted into what Bo could only describe into fear mixed with hesitation as she spoke, "Well, you were actually right... sort of. I do plan to blow up the X-2... while simultaneously killing the Air Forces' problem with one Colonel Ysabeau 'Stick' Dennis."

Bo and Trick's eyes went wide while Tamsin came to stand beside Lauren, grinning wildly as the pilot slapped Stick on the shoulder and asked, "She's a genius, huh?"

Bo's mouth hung open as she looked at her friend, then Trick before as her face sagged against her fist, her face filled with dread, "I can't wait to hear her brilliant plan. I'm gonna need another shot."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Three days later...**_

"Tower, this is X-2 Starbuster. All systems go for maiden voyage."

"X-2 Starbuster this is tower. Confirming all systems go for Earth atmosphere and pass to space rim. Countdown will commence in T-30 seconds."

"Roger, Tower. Awaiting countdown. Is Sketch there?"

"It's me, Stick."

"Sketch, if things don't go... as planned, you have message for Spitfire?"

"As promised, Stick. You just stick to flight plan and everything will be fine."

"Roger that, Sketch. Is Rage there?"

"Gotcha Stick."

"Thanks for always having my back, Rage."

"Backatcha, Stick. Still owe you for that intercept."

"You can pay me back in shots."

"Roger that, Stick. Godspeed."

"Thanks, Rage."

Bo sat in the cockpit, running through the mission briefing in her mind, making sure she had no last minute questions or concerns. The bottom line was that if this went sideways, it was flipping upside down and nothing would save her. At this point, she needed to trust in her team and her skills. Her attention was drawn to the start of the countdown,

"Mark."

"Roger Mark."

"10 – 9 – 8 – 7 – 6 – 5..."

"Engine startup." Bo said.

"...4 – 3 – 2 – 1 – Throttle."

"Throttling." Bo replied, watching the scenery blur before her eyes, the G-forces already pressing against her chest. Honestly, if she wasn't so terrified, she would truly be in awe of the ten second acceleration to top speed. As she lifted into the air, she pulled back on the stick,

"Starting ascent. Sketch, this is one smooth operator."

Lauren smiled as Tamsin placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Transition into outer Earth's atmosphere. G-Forces making it difficult to breathe."

"We talked about this Stick. You just have to handle them until the outer edge of the atmosphere." Lauren reminded, "Make sure your O2 is on full. We need you conscious for roll into breech of Earth's atmosphere."

"Roger that. O2 at max. Wish me luck. Breech in 3 – 2 – 1..."

Silence. All anyone in the tower heard was silence, "Tower to X-2 Starbuster, do you read?"

Lauren made a winding motion with her index finger, asking the controller to repeat, which he did, "I say again, X-2 Starbuster, do you read? This is tower. Come in, Stick."

Again there was silence as they all watched the screen, "Stick, come back."

Suddenly, a bright light exploded onto the screen. They all looked up at the night sky in horror, the light streaking in all directions like a sunburst. Tamsin heard Lauren gasp as she grabbed the mic,

"Stick! Stick!"

General Walker placed a hand on Lauren's shoulder, "It's over, Sketch."

She looked up at General, "No."

Her eyes traveled across the room, everyone staring at her in disbelief. Her eyes welled with tears as she rushed out of the tower. General Walker turned to the controller,

"Call in the retrieval team. We all knew this was a possible outcome. This is what we spent three days training for, people. She could have ejected. We don't know anything until we recover the wreckage. I want the seat. If the seat is empty, we know she's somewhere in the vicinity. She could be injured. Let's go people. Let's go, let's go, let's go!"

Tamsin watched as the room emptied out with the exception of General Walker. Once they were alone, he gripped the mic,

"General Walker to Air Force Command. Mission Failure. I repeat. Mission Failure. Aircraft exploded in transition. Retrieval team has been deployed for aircraft recovery. Status of Colonel Ysabeau 'Stick' Dennis is... there is no response. Reasonable suspicion she was KIA. Search and recovery deployed for remains, though none are anticipated considering cause of mission failure. End Transmission."

He held a finger up to Tamsin as she went to speak, and then pulled the finger back to his lips, nodding to the speaker on the console.

"Johnny T? It's George."

General Walker's eyes went wide, "Mr. Secretary. I wasn't expecting to hear from you."

"Well, you had my right hand put away in a home, Johnny."

"Sorry about that, Sir."

"Cut the Sir, Johnny. Wee flew in Nam together. Cut the formatlities and cut the crap. Please tell me you didn't lose Dennis."

Walker squinted at the speaker, taking a second to look at Tamsin who shook her head, mistrust written all over her face,

"I'm sorry to report, Sir. Dennis is assumed KIA as previously reported."

"Damn shame. That girl was better than her old man. It's a shame. Real damn shame."

"Is there anything else, Sir?" General Walker asked.

"Like not calling me Sir? No, I suppose not. I'm on my way there."

"Mr. Secretary?"

"I'll handle the investigation. I'm sure you've got your hands full down there. Is Flanders still assisting you? I gave him to Green hoping he'd be an asset."

He looked at Tamsin who shook her head, "Yes, Mr. Secretary. He's here and handling the hangar."

"Handling? I heard you had a break in down there. Hardly sounds like he's handling anything."

"Mr. Secretary, we're on an open frequency here."

"Right, right. Carry on. I'll see you at 0300 hours. I'll want everyone involved in the project on hand."

"Roger that." General Walker replied, "Tower signing off."

"Yea, yea." The Secretary replied before the radio went dead.

General Walker reached for the top of the console and powered everything down. Again, he raised a finger to his lips, waving along as he walked the stairway down to the exit. When they stepped outside, he immediately pulled her with him to the rear of the building,

"He'll expect to see Spitfire and Papa."

"They're not due back until 0200. That's going to be cutting it awfully close." Tamsin replied.

"Get to Lauren. Tell her we're going to need that drone backup in the Valkyrie."

Tamsin's face twisted with confusion as he nodded, "You're going to fly intercept. You'll use the short wave to bring Spitfire and Papa up to speed so they get their asses back here on time."

"But sir, my test flight isn't scheduled until midnight."

The General nodded, "Sketch is going to be a mess over losing a pilot and a plane. She'll blame herself. Military mind set says we get her right back into the cockpit. She needs to focus on the next mission. She'll have to do the pre-flight that all of you pilots hate her doing. She'll have to go over that plane with a fine tooth comb to make sure it's safe. We wouldn't want to lose another pilot tonight, now would we?"

He smirked, leading Tamsin to chuckle, "I guess that's why you have a lot more hardware than I have."

"Believe me, Rage, you'll have new hardware soon enough if this top secret mission doesn't go sideways."

"Yea, because if it does, we'll all end up before the firing squad for treason."

"Well then, let's hope you and Lauren still have your membership with the Screen Actor's Guild because I'm going to need top notch skills over the next... well, hopefully he doesn't stay for more than 24 hours."

"I'll get my Oscar-worthy performance ready." Tamsin replied.

"Take Sketches' lead. She was definitely ready for prime time in there." He nodded to the tower above them.

Tamsin frowned, "Yea, I don't think that was all acting. I think she's taking a shine to our beloved Stick. I think she's worried that something went wrong. She was against anything but the simulator."

"Stick insisted." The General replied.

"I know, but she's Stick. She told me she was terrified of that hunk of metal being her final resting place. I think she had to prove to herself that she actually had the guts to get into the cockpit and launch."

"Well, she knew the ejection coordinates, so let's just hope she hit the mark." General Walker replied.

Tamsin stood still for a moment, her face covered in worry, "Do you think she made it out?"

Walker nodded, "Haven't you learned by now? Stick doesn't know how to fail a mission."

Tamsin smiled, following the General as he walked around the building and out to his jeep, "I'll meet you at the hangar. Find Lewis."

Tamsin nodded before pulling out her cellphone and dialing Lauren's number. It went straight to voicemail, "Great. Bo, I know. You, Doc... not so much. You do know a little bit about Stick, so... let's try airstrip first, then the Dal."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Somewhere over the Pacific Ocean...**_

"Hey, Manes! I heard you were coming back aboard!"

"Hey J.R., how ya doin'? Where's Top?"

The younger officer stood to salute, but Manes waved him off, "Stop that. Only when we're in front of the enlisted. So, where's Top?"

"Retired. Can you believe it?"

"Damn. He's not even that old." Manes replied, "Admiral?"

"On deck. He's had us doing drills, drills, drills all night."

Manes nodded, "Gotta keep you guys on your toes, right?"

"Want me to call him?"

"Naw, I know where he'll be. Thanks, J.R., it was good to see you again. We'll catch up in the mess one day."

The younger officer laughed, "Yea, but you're all kinds of big wig now, so doubt that."

"All kinds of big wig?" Manes laughed.

"Not at liberty to discuss, Sir." J.R. stood and snapped to attention, offering a salute.

"Funny. See ya later."

J.R. watched as Manes left the bridge, "Yea, no ya won't."

Manes had been happy working on planes with the Air Force the last several years. He was really happy to be reunited with his old Air Force pilots at Nellis. He didn't know why, but working with them gave him a certain sense of pride and accomplishment he didn't get on the Carrier. The planes were always the same, the tech was always the same. Maybe one day he could retire from the military and go work for Lewis Aeronautics.

He climbed to the aft deck and sure enough, the Admiral was standing there, night vision binoculars in hand. Manes immediately noticed his Top had aged quite a bit, but he still looked fit as ever. He'd once told him about how his marriage had failed when he had informed his wife he did not want to have children.

" _I'm married to my boat. She's the only woman that will ever matter to me. I need her and the sea in my life. Without them, I'm nothing."_

Manes always knew there was more to the story because of the pained expression on the Admirals' face when he made the statement, but he'd never push the issue.

"So, the prodigal son returns home, huh?"

Manes smiled, giving salute to his superior, but the Admiral waved him off,

"Stop with the pomp and circumstance, Manes. What did those Air Force jockeys due to you. Make you some sort of by-the-book soldier?"

Manes smiled, "They can take me off the boat, Sir but I'll always be a carrier man at heart."

The Admiral gave the younger officer a long hard look before he shook his head, "You'll have to do better than that if you're going to convince me you're happy to be back and twice as good as that to convince yourself. Sorry you were pulled Manes, but apparently it worked out for the best."

Manes made his way up the last stairs and came to stand beside the Admiral, "Any sign?"

"Not yet, but we still have about fifteen minutes. Were you expecting an early arrival?"

Manes shook his head, "No Sir."

"Well, I know you're not big on pomp and circumstance, but there's some Navy business we have to take care of. I take it you still hate ceremonies?"

"With a mad, wild passion, Sir."

"Good, because we need to remain aft and keep a lookout."

He reached into his left inside jacket pocket, pulled out a velvet box and then reach into his right inside pocket to pull out a letter.

"Keep a lookout while you listen."

"Sir." He nodded, taking the binoculars and focusing them out on the horizon while waiting for the Admiral to start talking again.

"The United States Navy has been impressed by the expertise, leadership, initiative and knowledge demonstrated by Master Chief Petty Officer Michael Manes. Due to the unique nature of his five-year assignment, we are hereby recognizing his elevation to the rank of Lieutenant Commander, assuming previous ranks would have been achieved had he been on duty with his carrier group. This promotion is immediate as is his re-assignment to the command of Admiral Robert Burke, yadda, yadda, yadda."

He looked up at Manes who was standing, staring at him with mouth agape, "Thank you, Sir. I-I... don't know what to say."

"Well, you were due a promotion before you left, you would have had ten promotions had you stayed onboard, but the powers that be interrupted your career to send you to a branch where you could not gain any metal. I made sure Top made up for lost time. It was their idea to move you, after all."

Manes nodded, "Thank you, Sir."

The Admiral opened up the box and handed it to Manes. His eyes traveled back and forth over the gold insignias that were about to be placed on his shoulders. He fought back the tears as he thought of the raise, the benefits and the real possibility that some day he actually might be able to retire... he laughed to himself as he thought that maybe a job with Lewis, Inc. wasn't so farfetched after all.

He watched as the Admiral pinned the leaf on his right shoulder, then another on his left. The Admiral then gave him his first salute,

"Congratulations, Lieutenant Commander Michael Manes. May you always have fair seas with clear skies to follow and may the wind be forever at your back."

Smiling brightly in the darkness, Manes returned the Admirals' salute, "Thank you, Sir."

"You'll notice there's been some personnel changes since you've been on board. You'll be sliding right into the 2nd seat on the bridge. Are you ready for some on the job training?"

Manes grinned, "Absolutely, Sir."

"Are you ready to step up and be a Commander, Manes? I know a lot of these guys were your buddies. Many of them have retained the same ranks and positions, having no ambitions to further their careers. Others have been promoted while on board, others reassigned and returned with higher ranks. There could be some animosity that you've been promoted over them. They know nothing but rumors of your missions while off ship."

"What do I tell them."

"Your missions were all classified by the Department of Defense, Manes. My advice is to tell them nothing more than that."

"I could tell them, but I'd have to kill them." Manes nodded.

The Admiral laughed, "Exactly. I'm glad you've grown a sense of humor while you were gone."

"You know Air Force pilots. They deflect their fear with humor just like Naval Aviators do."

The Admiral nodded, "Two o'clock."

Manes grabbed the mic and handed it to the Admiral, who gave orders,

"Man overboard, port bow. Man overboard, port bow. Engines full stop. Rescue crews to the water."

"Sir?"

"Decoy."

"Nice."

"Manes, you have our boarding party. I'm going to go keep the kids entertained at the bow. Take the cargo to my quarters. Inform the drivers they are to return to base for a birthday surprise from Top."

"Shit." Manes replied, "I mean, aye, Sir."

"Shit indeed, Manes. Let's hope this whole thing doesn't all blow up in our collective faces or we're all headed for the firing squad for treason."

Manes watched as the Admiral slid down the stairway before turning to see the small v-shaped wake of a boat coming towards the ship. He grabbed a flare from the emergency kit and signaled for them to the stern at the starboard side of the ship so they wouldn't be visible to the ships' crew when they boarded. He dropped a rope for the small boat to anchor to until they delivered their cargo.

When they arrived at the ship, he heard Kenzi's voice first,

"Manes!"

"We've gotta hurry. The Admiral is running a drill as a decoy while you deliver your cargo, but you and Hale have to hightail it back. Apparently Top is holding a birthday party for you guys."

Kenzi replied as quietly as she could, "We already know. They sent Tamsin to deliver the message in the Valkyrie by short wave radio."

"Where's Bo?"

"A little problem. She was injured. We're gonna need help."

"Shit! Is she conscious?" Manes asked.

"Barely. Can you lower a hoist? We cut her chute so the harness is still attached."

"Hang on."

Manes took off running, ducking below windows so no one would see him as he moved towards the port side and forward bow of the ship where the drill was taking place. He quickly grabbed one of the hoisting mechanisms while the other men were focused on the Admirals' instructions and took off to the aft part of the ship once again.

Once he made it back, he could see Bo lying in Kenzi's lap as Hale pulled the blanket off of her,

"Shit. Is she alive?" Manes asked.

Kenzi nodded, "Yea, but she's going to need sick bay."

"Not an option. Seems to me the Admiral is keeping this to just the two of us at this point."

"Well, what do we do?"

Manes thought for a moment, then replied, "Send her up. I promise you I'll take care of her Kenzi."

Kenzi placed a kiss on her sisters' forehead before while Hale attached the hoist, then gave Manes a thumbs up,

"You better!"

The pair watched as Manes pulled Bo into the ship, before waving goodbye and disappearing into the blackness of the night sea. Looking at the brunette, he noticed blood coming from her nose, a cut on her forehead and a gash on her right shoulder. She must have hit the canopy when she ejected. If not, she must have landed in or near a tree or some other rough terrain. It didn't matter anymore. Right now, he had to turn this hoist into a backpack so that he could get her down to the Admirals' quarters.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Earlier, at the southern end of the Air Strip...**_

"I thought this is where I might find you." Tamsin said, walking onto the grass and sitting next to Lauren.

"Any news?" Lauren asked, wiping her face.

"Whoa. Are those tears, Doc?"

Lauren shook her head, "Did I kill her?"

"No word yet, but you have to remember that it was Bo who altered your plan to make sure she was seen getting into that plane. She didn't give you a choice."

"She's so damn stubborn."

"Well, you'll be happy to know that our dearest Secretary of Defense called the tower after you left."

"What? Why?"

"He blamed it on Walker taking Green from his staff and leaving him with nobody."

Lauren laughed, "Right. That's why. If he was so short-staffed without Green, he would have filled the position. There are plenty of Air Force Generals around if the position didn't require a specific type of General."

"Specific type of General? Do you mean the number of stars?"

"No, I mean a General who is willing to kill off pilots to cover their own ass." Lauren spat.

Tamsin nodded, "I see... this is about Daddy."

"He played me, Tamsin. He brought me into this to do his dirty work."

"Hold on there, Lauren. We still don't know what role your Dad played in this."

"He's not my Dad. He's the seed that made up half of my DNA, but he has never been a Father to me. He was my superior in the best of times."

"Well, Walker needs you to do some quick work on the Valkyrie."

"The Valkyrie?"

"He's moving my mission up under the guise of keeping you busy to keep your mind off of the failure of the mission and death of a pilot."

"But isn't that disrespectful?"

Tamsin shook her head, "Wars don't stop because people die, Lauren. When we fail or crash, if we're still walking and talking, they send us back up. No time to let fear settle in that way."

Lauren nodded, "Why the Valkyrie?"

"Uh... we have a mission scheduled for darkness? All-weather test?"

"Right. I forgot. So what are we doing now?"

"You're going to add short-wave radio capabilities. I'm going to get to Kenzi and Hale to deliver the message that Top is throwing a Birthday party at 0300. They need to be back to cast off any suspicion and me in the Valkyrie is the only plane that would be a good excuse to be the one up and flying if he's early."

"Of course."

"Kenzi and Hale can land in stealth mode if they have to."

"We'd have a missing plane."

Tamsin shook her head, "Easily covered by a shift change."

Lauren nodded, "Well, I guess I better get to work then. Short wave radio?"

Tamsin nodded, "And if you could just take a quick peek to make sure there's no... I don't know... bombs or strange chips anywhere, I'd appreciate it."

They stood, wiping off their pants, "I'm going to miss having Manes around here."

"We all are, believe me"

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Pacific Ocean...**_

"Secure to general quarters. Good work, everyone. Let's all get some rack time as scheduled."

The Admiral turned to the duty officer, "Ensign Patterson, all clear?"

The young officer replied, "Sir, clear night skies and calm seas ahead."

"Resume surveillance pattern to the Bering Sea."

"Aye, Sir."

"I'll be in my quarters catching some rack time. Lieutenant Commander Manes is the duty officer on call beginning at 0700. Until then, call me. I want him rested and awake before he takes shift."

"Aye, Sir. His orders, Sir?"

"I'll brief him before I hit my rack. You have the helm until Lieutenant Barton is back from the forward compartment. There was some clean up to be done after the drill. He should be along in a few minutes."

"Aye, Sir."

"Steady as she goes, Ensign."

"Steady as she goes, Sir."

The Admiral made his way off the bridge and headed to his quarters, watching for anything suspicious as he walked. Everything was clear until he reached his door where he found blood on the doorjamb. Wiping it clean, he entered to find Manes stitching up the pilot's head.

"Shit. What's her condition, Manes?"

"I'm not sure, Sir. Honestly, we could use the Doc."

The Admiral considered his request for a long moment before picking up his phone, "Hey, Doc. I need you in my quarters. Bring your bag, please. I had a little mishap during the drill... Right. Thanks, Doc."

The Admiral turned to Manes, "You should clear out of here. I don't want you connected to our friend here. Go get some rack time. You have the bridge starting at 0700."

"Aye, Sir."

"Wipe that doorjamb. Her blood is on it."

"Aye, Sir."

The Admiral moved to Bo's side, taking a seat in the chair next to the small sofa she now lay on, "So, apparently bombs planted by Generals are your kryptonite. Who'd have known."

He shook his head, "We've got your back, Stick."

When a knock sounded on his door, he stood, blocking anyone's view of the brunette and responded, "Come."

The door opened, revealing the ships' doctor, "Thanks for coming, Doc."

The older man stood for a long moment, looking at his supposed patient before he spoke, "You look pretty healthy to me."

"I called you down here for another reason... a top secret reason. First, I know you have history with our Secretary of Defense, but I need your help... the kind of help that could get you court marshaled for treason if we get caught before we have all the evidence we need to prove our case against him."

"Does this have anything to do with the body laying on your couch?"

The Admiral stepped to the side, revealing the pilot before he spoke again, "She's in trouble, Jake. The kind where we help her or she's dead and we're all in prison."

He walked closer and moved the hair from her face, "Shit. That's Stick. Jack Dennis' kid."

"I don't want to tell you too much, but we have evidence that what happened to Jack was not an accident. Now they're after Stick. We've sent the younger sister off on a decoy mission as well so that they can't get their hands on her. There are still a few people that are exposed, but we think we have them covered. Jake, Top Air Force Brass think she's dead. We brought her here to hide her."

"She's gonna go crazy on this ship, especially if you keep her here in your quarters." The doctor explained.

"We're not keeping her here."

"Well you do realize you're on a boat, right?" The doctor said, checking Bo's pupils, "Can you tell me what happened to her?"

"She ejected from her plane just before it exploded."

The doctor looked up at the Admiral, expecting to see him laughing, but his face was deadly serious, "How would she know that her plane was about to explode?"

"Because it was sabotaged by Top, we knew it, she took it up anyway and ejected at the altitude where the device was set to go off."

"Atmospheric pressure trigger." The Doc said, doing a pelvic exam and drawing a groan from his patient.

"How did you know that?"

"History taught me that." He said, "The history you mentioned earlier... knowing what I know, you're probably on the right track in your investigation. Old bastard."

The Admiral smiled, "Is she okay?"

The doctor sighed, "Concussion, two broken ribs, bruised spleen maybe, stitches look good. Well done."

"Not my work, but I'll pass on the compliment." The Admiral confessed.

"So where are you hiding her if not on this ship?"

"We're passing her off in the Bering Sea. Her idea, not mine. She knows a fisherman up there who's an old friend of her Dad's."

The Doctor nodded, "Anything that will put that old bastard behind bars, I'm all in. He should have been tossed in prison decades ago for the shit he pulled when we were in Nam."

The Admiral nodded, "Well, we can celebrate when we put him there. I'll buy the drink. It's okay. I know the bartender."

The doctor laughed when the Admiral opened his desk drawer, revealing a bottle of vodka.

"So we have what, three days to the Bering?" The Doctor asked.

The Admiral nodded, "I'm taking it slow. We're on a surveillance mission, so that's not unusual. Her little sister was supposed to go ahead of her, but she had to go back to base unexpectedly. Top down there is going to schedule another mission for her in order to get her up there again."

"Anyone else we have to hide or protect?"

"Keep an eye on our new Lieutenant Commander Manes."

"Your boy is back, huh? That's quite a hop in rank."

"It includes appropriate Air Force rank increments, so it's all legit." The Admiral explained, "So what do I do with her now?"

"Let her rest. I'll check on her every couple of hours. I'm old, so I take a lot of walks and bathroom breaks. No one will suspect a thing when I leave sick bay."

The Admiral smiled, "Good to know. Thanks, Jake."

"We'd all do anything for Jack Dennis' kid. He saved this ship single handedly and all of our lives with it. He was a stand up guy and if that old bastard killed him, I'll do anything I can to put him behind bars."

"Okay. Keep it between Manes, and us... please? There are eyes and ears everywhere on this one. This goes way up and possibly side-to-side."

"Got it." The doctor replied, shaking the Admiral's hand before he left.

Rubbing the back of his neck, the Admiral turned to see Bo lying still on the couch, "I sure would appreciate it if you would wake up and talk to me, Stick. I'm gonna need to know where I'm taking you before we actually get there. Of course, you're probably gonna be in a shitload of pain when you do, so maybe sleep is a good idea."

He grabbed a blanket and threw it over the pilot before settling in for a quick power nap. Things were getting real and he needed to be rested.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Nellis Air Force Base 0300 Hours...**_

Lauren sat in the corner on the floor of the open hangar door, staring at the pieces of debris that had been gathered and placed on the floor inside the tapeline her team had put down that provided an accurate outline of the X-2 to scale. She had been reading over the same report for the last hour. One thing she knew... her team had done a great deal of work over the last three days, the biggest focus being to blow up an identical cockpit with a woman's corpse inside and then transport it in the company's top secret stealth aircraft to the expected coordinates of the anticipated crash. Her team was waiting in the location when the explosion took place and harvested the actual remains, replacing them with the substitutions... including the body.

It was surprising, ironic and somewhat poetic that Kenzi would be the one to offer up their Mother's body for this decoy mission. She would have Bo's DNA, Bo's body type and Bo's hair color. Kenzi had reminded the team to be sure to strip off her makeup and flush the body. The entire thing had made Lauren feel sick to her stomach just to talk about and she found herself staring at Kenzi, wondering how she could seem so cold and methodical through it all. It was her Mother and other than Bo, she had been the only family she'd had left.

Lauren tried once again to focus on the report in her hands, but her thoughts again drifted to Bo. The pilot's plan had been brilliant, really. She had to give her that. Still, did she actually have to be in the plane? Though she had not yet said the words out loud, she was worried that something had gone wrong. She had this horrible feeling that Bo was hurt... or worse. Would they have told her if she was? When it came down to it, she didn't really know any of these people. She wasn't their friend. Of course she would hope that she could call Bo a friend by now, but the trust factor was clearly not there the last time they'd seen each other.

She sighed, her eyes again roaming over the data about the fuselage. She didn't know why she kept reading the same damn report over and over again. She couldn't concentrate... that was something she wouldn't be able to do until she knew the pilot was okay. She knew it was her guilt talking. Bo had scrapped her entire plan for her own because she didn't trust that the plan she had created wasn't one manipulated by Top Brass.

She heard a group of jeeps approaching and checked her watch. Groaning, she turned her attention back to a quick read of the reports one more time. She knew the Secretary would want to know the findings. They also suspected he would want his own people to search the crash site, do their own investigation and see all of the video and audio from the night. She would only hope they'd crossed every T and dotted every i in their cover up of what really happened... of what they were really looking for.

"So, the great Doctor Lauren Lewis is not so great after all."

Lauren looked up, desperately wanting to spill the beans on all that they knew, but she held her tongue. She knew this was coming. They had to blame someone and she knew it was all going to come down on her head. She had already transferred ownership of her company to her Kenzi as compensation for her loss. It was all she had and her financial records would prove that she was now penniless unless the company kept her on the payroll. While Kenzi had threatened to fire her, Bo assured her that her sister had just been joking. Sadly, she wasn't completely sure about that.

Slowly, she got to her feet, "Sir."

"You kill one of our best pilots and all you have to say is sir?"

"I-I..."

"What's the matter Lewis? Cat got your tongue? You know, your Daddy told me all about you. He'd hoped any kid of his would have been military, but you turned out to be a nerd."

"Wow, big George. That's pretty harsh considering it was you who made the decision to bring back all of these museum rejects in your glory project. What's it called? Project Resurrection? What had you planned to do? Resurrect my Dad by bringing back the X-2? Nope. Instead, you and your Generals saw fit to put my sister into the same shit aircraft and get her killed too!"

"Malikov, what are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be on that embassy run in Russia?"

"Been there and back. General Green called me here to serve as intelligence. Of course, he was pulled out before I had a chance to get up to speed. Imagine my surprise when I land back on my home base only to find out you and Green authorized my sister going up in the very plane that killed my Daddy? And don't give me that pilot error bullshit! This just proves the plane was faulty and my sister sacrificed her life following your orders for what? For an experiment? There were no lives at risk! There was no mission to rescue someone carrying intel! There were no soldiers or hostages to save! Only your ego to feed and you picked another egomaniac to do your dirty work for you!"

"Malikov, you are way out of line." The Secretary warned.

"Really? I'm out of line? You see me every single day and you couldn't tell me what you were having my sister do here?"

"She could have told you."

"And you know Bo would never do that! She lived by your damn book and that included me!" She turned to Lauren, "Did you do it?"

Lauren nodded, hanging her head, "It's done. I just want to say again..."

"Save your apologies! I own your ass from now on!"

She turned back to the Secretary, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a mission to fly... we're borrowing your X-15 General Walker. It's how Bo would have wanted her ashes spread. Any objections, anyone?"

Everyone stood there, perfectly still not offering another word.

"No? Great. Oh, and I'm borrowing Santiago as well. I need a pilot since it would be really irresponsible for me to fly in your resurrected X-15 while I'm this emotional."

She got in the Secretaries' face, "I might just crash it!"

With that, Kenzi stormed out of the hangar, "Santiago! On me!"

"Sir?"

General Walker nodded, "You're authorized, Lieutenant. After you handle Spitfire's business, head on back to your unit as authorized. You've done good work here with that X-15. Your service will be noted with the Department of the Navy. I'm sure you will see a jump in rank."

Hale's grin spread across his face, "Sir, thank you Sir."

"Better get used to saying aye again, Santiago." Walker shook the young man's hand.

"Aye, Sir." Hale saluted and hustled out of the hangar after Kenzi, leaving Lauren alone with the two men and General Flanders.

The Secretary turned to Lauren, "Lewis, what can you tell us."

"There was a fire in the ignition systems when the plane transitioned from Earth orbit to space. We believe it was a shielding problem that caused a build up of static electricity in the system, triggering spontaneous combustion within the fuel line."

The Secretary nodded, "So we can rule out any foul play from that break in?"

Lauren nodded, "My team, Air Force team and FBI all concur this was... was a design flaw."

The Secretary paused, his eyes trained on the remainder of the plane, "Dennis?"

Hanging her head, she shoved her hands in her pockets, "She would have been killed instantly. The combination of gravitational forces, the explosion and the high concentration of oxygen in the cockpit to keep her conscious amidst the G-Forces would have been too much force for the human body to withstand."

He nodded, "Walker, I want Dennis to get every medal this man's Air Force has to offer."

"Man's?" Lauren asked, but immediately wished she could have kept the comment in.

"Apologies for offending your sensitivities, Doctor Lewis. The colonel was a woman, after all and this Air Force was probably more hers than any other pilots. She laid her life on the line more times than I can count."

Lauren's mind was in overdrive with things she wanted to say in response to his comment, but she balled her hands into fists instead, grateful when Tamsin arrived.

"Sirs. Reporting for duty as requested." She popped a salute to the three men and moved to stand before them.

"You're late, Sorensen. Where's the rest of the team?" General Walker asked.

"Sorry, sir. I had to finish my report on the test flight with the Valkyrie." She turned to Lauren, "It has a little shimmy at Mach 3."

Lauren forced a tight-lipped smile in response, "The team will look at that. I'm sure it's all in your report."

Tamsin nodded, "You'll find everything is in order."

Lauren looked up to see Tamsin smiling, offering her a wink. Then it hit her. Everything is in order. Everything is in order. Bo is okay. Bo made it to the carrier. A feeling of relief surged through her body and for a second she got light-headed. She wobbled a bit, leading Tamsin to move quickly to grip her arm,

"Whoa. You okay there, Doc?"

Lauren scowled, stepping away from Tamsin, "Fine. It's just been..."

"I get it, Doc. You've got to let it go. Bo did her job. Your team did their job. Everyone did exactly what the Air Force asked of them. Bo knew the game. She played, she lost. She always knew she was meant to die young. Said it a million times."

"That doesn't make this any easier." Lauren replied.

The Secretary spoke, "Lewis, I think I was a bit hard on you when I first came in. The Major here is right. We are in the risk-taking business. I'm sure your company did the best they could."

General Walker nodded, "Mr. Secretary, I can assure you that Doctor Lewis was nothing short of obsessive when it came to the checks and balances of this entire operation. She knew the importance of this particular plane. She had her doubts initially, but her Father told her to push the envelope and that she did. The Valkyrie, the X-15, the F-35 and the F-111 are all on track to complete testing by year's end. They are all performing beyond expectation."

"Very good, very good. I suppose we will continue to do business with your company then despite this unfortunate incident." The Secretary acknowledged.

Lauren shook her head, "I'm afraid it's not my company anymore, Sir."

"Excuse me?" He asked.

"MacKenzie Malikov is now the owner of Lewis Aeronautics, Inc. I signed everything over to her. It's the least I could do after having taken away her only remaining relative."

The Secretary looked at General Walker who only shrugged. The group stood in silence for a moment as the elder gentleman stood staring at Lauren until he finally spoke,

"Well, I guess I wasn't expecting to hear that news."

Lauren nodded, "Well, she deserves some compensation. I know the Air Force will pay out, but I felt my company needed to do something as well. All of my cash is tied up in research and development, so giving her the company is the only thing I had to offer."

"So, you've given up everything?" The Secretary asked.

"She is keeping me on to supervise the existing military contracts since I have the security clearances. We're negotiating a salary and benefit package."

The Secretary nodded, "Well, I appreciate your willingness to give up so much for one of our own. I understand how much that company has meant to you. Your Father spoke of your passion for your work."

Lauren coudlnt' resist, "Let's be honest, Mr. Secretary. All my Dad ever spoke about with regards to me was about how cheap he could get me to build your planes and how much of a disappointment I was because I didn't go into the military. I think I've suffered enough humiliation for one day to deserve at least a little honesty from you... seeing as you saw fit to have me shoulder all the blame and take none on your own. Of course, I know how this will play out. My former company will come out smelling like a rose and so will all of you. My Dad will take the fall for all of this, seeing as he is now retired and no longer a risk. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a plane waiting to take me to clean out my office. General Walker, I'll return on Monday ready to work if that is still your wish."

"Thank you, Doctor." The General nodded, "Safe travels."

She nodded, giving Tamsin a small smile before walking from the hangar.

"Oh, Doctor? The reports?" The Secretary asked.

Lauren handed the documents to the Secretary, "The rest will be sent by courier to your office as soon as they're finished being copied. Of course, I figured you would want your own team to double check everything since my company is not military."

"The reports will reflect what you've told me?" The Secretary asked.

"Yes, Sir."

"Well, then I think we're all done here."

"Thank you, Sir." Lauren said and moved to leave, but the Secretary spoke,

"Lewis, my people can have a jet ready for you in fifteen minutes. You'd get there much faster." The Secretary offered.

"Thank you, Sir, but that won't be necessary." Lauren replied.

"Actually, I insist. You'll be carrying US Air Force confidential documents. If anything were to happen mid-flight, we'd want to know those documents were in one of our planes."

"The planes that belong to Lewis Aeronautics are planes that work for the Air Force. I would think that would be sufficient." Lauren replied.

"Please. Humor an old man. I want to be sure we have no other black eyes on this night. Walker, have my people set her up with one of your pilots."

"I'll take her, Sir." Tamsin spoke.

"Rage, you just came off a test flight. You sure you're good to go?"

Tamsin nodded, "Just like a refuel stop, right?"

General Walker smiled, "That it is. Carry on, Major."

Both women exchanged glances with General Flanders who stood behind the other two men. He shook his head and pulled Tamsin to him, whispering in her ear before releasing her to walk with Lauren. As the Secretary walked towards the remaining parts of the plane, the two Generals shared a glance, Flanders giving Walker a thumbs up. Things were about to get sticky.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Ma'am?" The mechanic asked, seeing Lauren watch over his shoulder while he worked on the Valkyrie.

"Just watching your work, Airman. There are only a handful of personnel qualified to work on this plane and I am 100% sure your name is not on the list."

"Just following orders, Ma'am." He replied.

"I'm sure you are, Airman. We've already lost one pilot today in one of this programs' aircraft. I have no desire to lose another... nor my own life. I'm sure you can understand."

"Uh... of course, Ma'am." He said, stopping his work and moving to the underside panel. He looked at Lauren before pulling it open, picking up his rag and then walking away.

"Airman?" Lauren replied.

The young officer turned around, "Stick helped me with qualifying. She was like a big sister... hell, sometimes like a Mom to me. She knew what it was like to grow up without a Dad. What happened to her... well, it sucks. I'm young. I have my whole career ahead of me. Hell, I have my whole life ahead of me. But she taught me the most important thing an Air Force soldier can have is integrity."

He looked over his shoulder and then back at the two women, "You'll want to check under that panel."

Lauren nodded, "Only under that panel?"

"You got here just in time, Ma'am." He said, nodding towards the nose where he had just been working when Lauren had leaned in just a little too close.

Tamsin moved the Airman back towards the nose of the plane, "Pretend you're working. What's your name, soldier."

"Rodgers, Ma'am."

"Your first name, Rodgers."

"Stephen, Ma'am. But everyone calls me Stevie."

Tamsin smiled, "Like Wonder?"

He nodded.

"Well, you're far from blind... as a matter of fact, I think you see things quite clearly. You gave us information that will save our lives, yes?"

"Affirmative, Ma'am."

"Thanks, Scoop."

"Ma'am?"

"Your call sign, Airman." She watched as a grin broke out across his face, "Terrified you were going to be called Wonderbread or Wonderboy, eh?"

"The thought had crossed my mind." He replied.

"Tell the boys an Air Force Major gave you that call sign. It can't be changed once it's given."

"Thank you, Ma'am."

"Thanks for having a brain of our own, kid. You gonna be okay if we live?"

He nodded.

"Care to confirm who gave you your orders?" Tamsin asked, folding her arms over her chest.

"Are you going to see to justice done?"

Tamsin nodded, "Stick's gone, so yea, that's the plan. Keep the pilots alive and protect anyone who helps us."

He pulled a phone out of the side pocket of his pants and another out of his inside jacket pocket, he placed one just inside the engine and put the other back in his jacket pocket,

"These are two burner phones. I have a third one in my apartment. Take the one I've left on the block once I leave. I've dictated testimony of everything I've seen and heard. Who do I give the other one to?"

Tamsin looked at Lauren who nodded, "General Walker."

"Whoa."

"Yea, this is going to become Top Brass versus Top Brass with all of us as witnesses. You in or are you the Secretaries lacky?

"No way, Rage. They've been picking off the soldiers they get to do their dirty work, so we've all started taking notes on burners and leaving them at drop points just in case they take us out."

"When do they take you out?" Tamsin asked, now concerned about the Airman.

"They'll try to take me out on the way back home after I've done the work here."

"What work is that?"

"Targets are the two of you, Malikov, Santiago and Flanders... possibly Walker."

"Hale?"

"Rumor is that he's romantically tied to Malikov?"

Tamsin scowled, unsure of what their actual status was since Kenzi was away so much. She looked at Lauren and then back at Rodgers,

"Any chance you can warn Walker and Flanders?" Tamsin asked.

Rodgers stopped his work on the engine, closing the panel, then moved to the underside of the plane to help Lauren,

"Give me fifteen minutes after takeoff and then call Walker on the burner."

He stood, gathering his tools and gave salute to Tamsin, "If anything happens to me, you'll tell my Mom, right?"

Tamsin nodded, returning the salute, "I promise. But how 'bout you focus on staying alive."

"Good luck." He replied.

Tamsin watched as Lauren pulled on her helmet and ascended the steep staircase into the large six-engine aircraft. The Doctor smiled, happy to be hitching a ride in this plane. Of all that she had worked on, the Valkryie was her favorite. The folding wing design would allow it to access a carrier as long as the pilot had the skill to make short landings. Of course, the carriers had arrest nets, but the nose of the Valkyrie was so high, it would likely be above the standard netting.

"Airman?" Tamsin called to Rodgers.

He stopped and turned back, "Yea?"

"When you're alone with Flanders and Walker, tell them we went fishing and that they should plan a trip too."

"Ma'am?"

"Just tell them, Airman."

He nodded, "You have my word."

He watched as Tamsin ascended the stairway and entered the cockpit, then pulled the staircase away. He moved to the front of the plane, pulled on his headphones, flipped on the lights of his directional lamps and watched as Tamsin ran her pre-flight check with the Tower. Rodgers looked up into the tower and could clearly see that all three Generals were there for take off. If he had done his job, they wouldn't be leaving Nellis airspace, so he began thinking of an excuse to give the Secretary when they were alone. If he didn't have a good one, he would need to drop his phone.

He turned his back to the tower and pulled out the phone to send a quick text to the Major aboard the Valkyrie,

 _Rodgers: Eye is in the sky. Sending phone to Aunt Helga. Check contacts. Godspeed._

 _Sorensen: Go fishing with your Uncles._

Tamsin turned to Lauren, tossing her the phone, "You sure we have all of the fireworks out of this thing?"

Lauren nodded, "As sure as I can be. Hopefully your boy out there is on the up and up."

"If he's not, we'll know in about thirty seconds." Tamsin replied.

Lauren looked frantically around her seat, leading the pilot to ask, "Whatcha lookin' for, Doc?"

"Bo's F-16 had barf bags. You don't carry them?" Lauren asked.

"Uh... I don't barf." Tamsin replied, "Is that a problem for you?"

"Well, I was on Bo's training run and..."

"Got it." Tamsin nodded, reaching into her leg pocket and pulling out a plastic bag, "This is the best I've got to offer. The F-16 is nothing compared to this, Doc. We're gonna pull a shit ton of G's."

Lauren nodded, "I built the thing, so unfortunately, I am aware of her capabilities. I just never planned to actually have to fly in one."

"Well, our course is going to change once we're up."

"What? Why?" Lauren asked.

"You were pretty focused on that pre-flight check, huh?"

"I was focused on making sure we weren't going to blow up." Lauren replied, "Listen to me. There's a subtle click just before that explosive goes off. I'll need you to be very quiet on take off and keep one hand on your eject handles. If I say eject, don't hesitate. Pull like hell and hold your breath."

"Don't have to tell me twice." Tamsin replied.

"Well, I'm just grateful that the design of this plane has the eject handles between our legs and not overhead. We were able to make the mechanism hydraulic so ejection it's easier and faster."

"Great. Let's just hope we don't have to eject, 'cause if we do, we'll have to run like hell so they don't catch us." Tamsin replied.

Lauren nodded, "I may not be military, but I ran track all my life. I'm still running every morning and I'm quite... toned."

"Good to know." Tamsin replied, rolling her eyes as she pulled on her headset and spoke to Lauren, "So, I hear you love pre-flight checks. Wanna help me run this baby?"

Lauren grinned, "I'd love to. It's another thing I can check off my bucket list."

Tamsin nodded, "Well, I hope it was high on the list just in case this is the last thing we ever do."

Lauren frowned, but began the checklist for the large jet with her pilot,

"Naviation,"

"Check."

"Oxygen,"

"Check."

Pressure,"

"Check."

Temperature Control,"

"Check."

Engines,"

"Check."

Weapons,"

"Check."

Tamsin flipped a communications switch and announced, "All systems operational, tower. Ready for take off."

"XB-70 Valkyrie, clear for take off."

"Roger that, Tower. Mission entered, stealth to be engaged one mile out."

"Roger that Rage, Sketch. Godspeed."

"Engaging radio silence on acknowledge."

"Flight silent and stealth acknowledged."

"Here we go, Doc. Get your hands on that eject handle and listen up." Tamsin said, strapping her oxygen mask across her face.

Lauren couldn't respond. She wasn't ready to die. She was terrified she'd missed something. People didn't understand that's why she did so many rechecks after ever flight. It's why she didn't like Bo's plan. Bo... at least she would live on if they died on take off. She would make sure Tamsin was avenged and by association, she would be avenged to. She supposed at least that was something.

"Throttling up." Tamsin said, moving the throttle forward.

Lauren braced herself in the seat, trying desperately to concentrate on the sound she was looking for instead of the ridiculous amount of pressure bearing down on her chest as the plane launched into the atmosphere.

It was almost as if both women held their breath until Tamsin finally chanced a look at the altimeter and smiled, flipping the switch and putting them in stealth mode,

"We're clear."

"Oh, thank the Gods." Lauren said, taking a deep breath.

"Easy on that O-2, Doc. I don't need you hyperventilating on me."

"Right." Lauren said.

"So, can you tell me where we're going now?"

Tamsin laughed, "The only friendly place we can hide a big-ass, one-of-a-kind bright white plane."

"And where is that?" Lauren asked.

"Northern Canada."

"We're stealing a U.S. Air Force plane and taking it to a foreign country? Uhoohhh we're so dead."

"Actually, Kenzi did some digging with your lawyer. Technically, you own the plane... well, she owns the plane... until the Air Force pays the bill, which your financial advisor tells us they haven't."

"Yea, I kind of haven't seen a dime."

Tamsin shook her head, "You are all kinds of crazy smart with planes, but you've really gotta improve your business smarts, Sketch."

"Apparently. Like from now on, don't do business with crazy Generals and politicians who want to do harm."

The pilot nodded, "Yea, like that."

"So, what's to stop Canada from finding and keeping our plane?" Lauren asked.

"We're landing it on private property owned by someone Kenzi and Bo know." Tamsin replied.

"Okay. That's a big... vague. Do I need my passport?" Lauren asked.

"Oh my. You really are adorable. You're in a U.S. Air Force jet. I think they'll know where you're from. Besides, if this thing is as stealthy as you say, they'll never know we're here."

"You have to be above... whoaaaaaa!" Lauren almost gripped her ejection handles, but thought better of it at the last second, gripping instead, the sides of her seat as Tamsin went into a steep climb.

"Fifty-thousand feet and above, I know." Tamsin laughed, executing a perfect roll as she changed course heading northeast.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Aircraft Carrier, Pacific Ocean...**_

"Good morning, sleepy head." The Admiral said, paging through a report at his desk.

"Owa." Bo said, gripping her head.

"Concussion. Keep your breathing shallow. Two broken ribs. Probably a bruised spleen as well. We'll have to let the Doc know if you have any blood coming out when you hit the head."

Uuuuhhh... roger that. How'd I get here?"

The Admiral stopped what he was doing and turned, "You don't remember the mission you created?"

"No, no... I remember. I just don't remember what happened after I ejected. I know I didn't land on the ship."

"Believe it or not, since you couldn't fly the jet that was parked for you, they hauled your ass up the stairway and into the 2nd seat. Kenzi flew you out. They landed both jets on General Green's old farm, pulling the F-16 into the barn there. From there, everything went as planned. Truck to water, water to boat, boat to carrier. They were right on time."

Bo looked around the room, "How long was I out?"

"You ejected a day and a half ago." The Admiral replied.

Bo looked down, pulling at her pants, only they weren't her pants, "Uh... who changed me?"

"Sorry 'bout that, but the Doc said you'd need... uh... ya know... adult diapers."

Bo shook her head, "Damn, I stink!"

The Admiral mumbled, "I wasn't going to say anything, but since you mentioned it..."

"Do I have a cabin?" Bo asked.

He shook his head, "Sorry, Stick. It's best you bunk with me. No one will see you here. We've managed to keep it quiet so far. Only the Doc, me and Manes know you're on board. I'd like to keep it that way."

"Roger that. You're sure we can trust the Doc?" Bo asked.

"He and our dear Secretary have a checkered past. He'd love to see him swinging by the neck."

"O... kay. Glad to know where he stands, I think." Bo stood up, wrapping the blanket around her waist, "Mind if I use the shower?"

"Not at all... matter of fact, please do. I'll brief you on where things are when you're out."

Bo nodded, "Are all my people still alive?"

"Sorry, Bo. I can't answer that just yet."

She stood silently for a moment, then turned and got into the shower. The Admiral went back to his paperwork, but the knock on his door interrupted him again. He turned to see Bo diving under the bed. Making sure she was hidden, he acknowledged the visitor,

"Come."

The door opened, revealing Manes. He closed the door, "Where's Bo?"

"Here." She replied, climbing out from under the bunk, "See you in a few. I need a shower."

He nodded, "I wasn't going to say anything about the smell in here, but if you've got air freshener, you should probably use it, Admiral."

"Copy that." He replied, pulling a can from his drawer and putting it to use, "So, any news?"

"We have word that they've all gone fishing and that Flanders and Walker along with three Airman are planning fishing trips as well."

"They're all going deep sea fishing?"

He shook his head, "No, they're headed for the final fishing spot."

The Admiral nodded, "Time for course adjustment?"

Manes nodded, "Aye, Sir."

The Admiral stood, pulling on his hat, "Update Stick on our progress. Go easy on her, Manes. She'll likely be a little shaken up once she sees herself in there. She's pretty beaten up according to Doc."

"She's gotta be able to fly, Sir. Is that going to be a problem?" Manes asked.

"This is Stick we're talking about, Manes. She'll do what she has to. She loves fishing." The Admiral replied with a chuckle as he exited his quarters.

Manes took a seat on the sofa, pulled off his hat and tossed it onto the coffee table. He laughed when he saw Bo poke her head out around the corner,

"Uh... hey, Manes. Got any clothes for me?"

"Hey Stick. Look under the bed. They're in a dark green gym bag. Admiral stole them from the laundry before you arrived. Navy issue so you blend in."

"Perfect." Bo replied, grabbing the bag and slipping back into the bathroom to change.

A few minutes later, she emerged, combing out her tangled hair. She sat down on the chair near the sofa and groaned.

"Ribs?"

"Everything. I can't believe they got me here unconscious."

"Yea, well Spitfire is a pretty determined little thing."

"True." Bo replied, "Nice bling. How'd you manage that?"

"They gave me the ranks I would have had if I'd been on the ship the past five years."

"What is that? Lieutenant Commander?" Bo asked.

Manes smiled, "Yup."

"You deserve it, Manes. Congratulations."

"Thanks, Stick."

"So... any word?"

"I just know that everyone plus two are trying to make their way to the fishing expedition."

Bo nodded, "Who's still on base?"

"The Uncles plus two." Manes replied.

Bo nodded again, "So when am I getting out of here?"

"Tomorrow night, but we've got a problem."

"What's that?" Bo asked.

"Your parking space is taken."

"Who's in it?"

"You. Well, technically, Kenzi parked there." Manes explained, but Bo was already putting it together.

"I couldn't fly after I ejected, so she took an F-16 to get me here."

Manes nodded, "She had to fly back with Hale in the X-15 because they were too close the deadline."

Bo tossed the brush on the table, but Manes shook his head, "Let me put that back for you. We don't anyone seeing that there are long hairs in the Admirals' brush."

Bo laughed, "Scandal on the carrier. Who's the woman sleeping in the Admirals' cabin."

"So, I'm going to go get you some food. You good?" Manes asked.

Bo nodded, "I'm just sore as hell. This burn on the side of my face..."

"Yea, we didn't see that at first."

"I ejected a hair late, ended up in a tree and then cut myself loose and fell into that bog off of runway one-niner."

"That's why we didn't know there was a burn. We didn't exactly give you a bath. The Doc cleaned you up after we realized you weren't waking up in a few hours. It took them a long time to find the chute. Kenzi was grateful you didn't cut the harness away. It was useful in moving you."

Bo smiled, "I'll bet."

Manes stood, "Okay, let me go get you some food and water. I'll be back as soon as I can. Anyone knocks, hide."

"Got it." Bo replied.

She watched him leave, and then settled back into the chair, pulling the blanket back over herself. She closed her eyes and thought about Kenzi, Hale, Tamsin, the Generals and the Doctor. She hoped to see them all soon. She especially hoped to see Lauren again soon. She was really shitty to her the night they hatched their plan. She was risking everything for them, just like her. She owed her an apology.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_


	4. Chapter 4: The Fishing Trip

_**A/N:**_ _Apparently insomnia is the cure for finishing a chapter! There will be two more chapters for this one. So grateful for all of your reviews and continued support! It's always appreciated. Went to full-on sap mode at the end of this one. Maybe that's a side affect of early morning writing? Of course, grammatical errors may also be a side affect, so consider yourselves warned._

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Chapter 4: The Fishing Trip**_

 _ **Somewhere in Alaska...**_

"You know, if I'd have known that it was YOUR house I was coming to, I would have flown straight into the ocean!" Kenzi said, pacing back and forth.

"Kenzi, you need to listen to her."

Kenzi turned on Hale, her eyes blazing a shade of blue he had never quite seen before, "Are you seriously siding with her against me right now, Mister?"

Hale swallowed, "Come on, 'lil Mama. You know I've always got that fine back of yours, which is why I want you to just hear her out. I want you safe and if she can make that happen. Then, we need to consider the information she has. Remember, she's the only one who's holding all the cards right now."

"Yea, and that gigantic A-hole, Ryan Lambert."

"He saved your ass once, Kenz." Hale reminded.

"Don't remind me – you don't have to! He does it every damn day! And – by the way - I saved his ass _three_ times. You don't see me telling the world every five seconds." Kenzi replied.

"You just did." The woman snarked.

Hale shook his head while Kenzi turned and glared at the brunette, "I don't like you. I don't trust you. I don't understand why I can't go back like we planned. We're setting Flanders and Walker up to get killed if I don't go back and now there's the little witness ring that Tamsin apparently pulled into our inner circle. I will not be party to young soldiers who are probably virgins getting killed on my watch!"

"Evony, can you cover all of those bases?" Hale asked.

The woman paused a moment, moving some papers around on the coffee table before she answered, "If... and I do mean if... Tamsin and the Doctor get back here before you're supposed to arrive back on base, I suppose I could use her burner phone to call the General and get him out of there."

"Call her burner phone now and tell her to call him!" Kenzi urged.

"Darling, I do not have a burner phone here. If I call from the house phone or any of us put the batteries in our mobile phones, we risk being tracked. I have my witness list and their survival is my priority." Evony replied calmly.

"How did Tamsin get the message to you?" Kenzi asked.

Evony shrugged, "I am not at liberty to disclose that information."

"Are you kidding me? I have the highest security clearance of anyone in the nation next to the President! What do you mean you're not at liberty..." Kenzi was moving closer and closer to Evony as she spoke and the agent did not seem too happy about it.

Evony raised a well-manicured finger to Kenzi, "Okay, little Goth. You're going to need to back up those tiny boots right now. This isn't about security clearances. This is about keeping all of our parties safe. We don't want the bad guys to gain information that can hurt any of ours. You're an intelligence operator, Malikov, so I'm sure you understand the protocols for this sort of thing. You are having an emotional reaction because your sister is missing."

"Missing?!"

"Not missing, missing... just... well, not where we expected her to be by now."

"And where is that?" Kenzi asked, propping her fists up on her hips and giving Evony a pointed look.

"Here, of course. Seriously, you need to take a few deep breaths and rein in those emotions, Miss Intelligence Operator."

Kenzi sighed, knowing that keeping communications tight was always something she demanded of her teams when running an Op. Still, she was getting anxious. No one knew anything about Bo yet and she was worried. Her sister was in bad shape when she'd dropped her off at the carrier. Her breathing was labored and Kenzi's emergency training in the field had told her that she definitely had injuries, but whether or not they were life threatening, she couldn't know for sure. She was no doctor.

She wandered over to the window seat and stared out at the endless drifts of snow across the land. Before they'd left the hangar back at Nellis, General Flanders had handed her a tin of mints for the flight and wished her clear skies. When she got into the X-15, Hale had told her that Flanders had told him to tell her to use the tin A-sap, so she opened the tin and popped a mint into her mouth. Removing the mint showed her that there were a few letters written on the paper wrapped around the dime-sized breath fresheners, so she pulled the paper out and found new coordinates with a note,

" _New destination. Go fishing. Take the weekend."_

She and Hale had immediately realized that the General was telling them that they knew something that they had not known when they'd created their plan, so they did as told and followed the new coordinates which led them here. Kenzi wasn't sure how the extra jet they'd taken to get Bo to the carrier had gotten here, but it was now in this barn with the X-15. Evony had four barns on her sprawling property... and horses... she loved horses. Two were racehorses that had been bred from a line of winners. One was an Olympian.

She moved her gaze to the corral off to the right where three horses were playing in the snow. They looked so carefree and happy. She wished that she could live that way. She sighed, redirecting her thoughts to the General who had redirected them here to keep them safe. She could only hope he didn't put himself in harms way by doing it.

She'd smiled at the gentleman and flipped him a casual salute after he'd handed her the tin. He was a kind man and although she wasn't military anymore, he wore stars and anyone with stars deserved a salute, in her opinion. Of course, he had also known her Dad, so that scored points in her book as well. Flanders was one of those pilots who had understood the life of a test pilot since he'd lived it. When Kenzi had begun entertaining the idea of leaving the Air Force for Intelligence, Flanders had been her instructor at Red Flag school. He knew her heart wasn't in it and reminded her every chance he got that her Dad would just want her to be happy whether she was a pilot or not.

Kenzi was drawn to the warmth of the hand on her shoulder, "Hey, 'lil Mama. You alright?"

She didn't turn but instead, nodded as she kept her gaze focused on a tree in the distance, "How does that one tree end up in the middle of that massive open field when there's nothing else around?"

Hale laughed, "I suppose a bird dropped the seed there and it grew."

Kenzi let out a giggle, "Such a practical response."

"I'm a practical kinda guy." He smiled, wrapping an arm over her shoulder, "Penny for your thoughts?"

"I had to step away from the toxic conversation over there. I'm worried about my sister. I'm worried about losing any more people to this investigation." She sighed before pointing over her shoulder towards Evony, "And I'm worried about Jimmy Choo in there being someone we should be worrying about instead of trusting. Have you considered that this could just be one big round up of everyone they want dead? She's the one that gave Bo this location, right?"

Hale shrugged, "Well, if she is rounding us up, as you say, we're screwed. Nothing we can do about it now."

"We could leave. There's plenty of runway out there for takeoff and we have a plane with stealth capabilities... that is also very white... we could make it to Canada or Alaska or... why not Hawaii? We could set that beauty down inside a volcano somewhere."

Hale chuckled, shaking his head, "A volcano, huh?"

Kenzi shrugged, "It would really test my new companies' equipment. I mean, the plane is supposed to be an all-weather machine. I'll believe that when I see it hold up against lava. Now that's a test flight."

"You mean a test landing."

"Whatevs."

"What are you really thinking about?" Hale asked.

"What happens if I don't show up at Nellis, Hale? What happens if you don't show up? You're AWOL at best. I'm violating a direct order from my boss, the Secretary of Defense."

"We're all risking charges, Kenz, but we're going to blow this thing wide open. They're going to prison, Kenz. They're going away for a very, very long time."

"They're old. They won't last more than one very." Kenzi quipped, "Besides, they deserve the needle. They killed my Dad, Hale. They've tried to kill all of us, Hale... and many, many others."

Hale laughed, "Look at the bright side. You own the two planes out in Evony's barn thanks to your most recent business acquisition."

"Correction, I own two military jets... temporarily anyway." Kenzi smiled.

"So you are going to give Lauren her company back?"

Kenzi nodded, "I'm afraid if I don't, my big sister will kick my ass and my ass is too precious to be kicked."

"You definitely need to protect that ass." Hale said with a wink, "Why would Bo kick your ass over the Doc's company? She seemed pretty pissed off about the fact that she'd revived the program."

Kenzi threw her head back, offering up a long laugh before she turned to Hale, "Yea, well my sister gets her engine all revved up over blondes that can get her anger all revved up."

"Huh?" Hale asked, scratching his head.

"Bo has a type and the Doc is definitely that type. She may be bitching and moaning about the program, but she is definitely hot for Hotpants."

"Hotpants?" Hale asked.

Kenzi nodded, "Oh yea. On more than one occasion, I've noticed my sisters' eyes wandering after the Doc when she was walking away. Bo has a serious addiction to booties if I know my sister, I'd bet my new company that she is now ranking the Doc's bootie higher than Stacey Morgan's."

Hale was confused, "Who's Stacey Morgan?"

"Keep up!" Kenzi said, waving her arms, "She's Bo's top-ranked bootie since Y2K turned out to be a bust! No one has come close until now, so that's saying something."

"Right." Hale nodded, still completely puzzled. He was pulled from his musings by another Kenzi outburst,

"Where the hell is Tamsin! They should be here by now." She moved to pace the room, but Hale stopped her, moving his hands to her temples before beginning a light massage. He then moved to her neck and then her shoulders, drawing a moan from the petite brunette,

"Mmaaagghh."

He chuckled, but continued until she snapped her head up at the sound of a jet. She stood, grabbing her coat and running out of the house, Hale following closely behind.

Evony mumbled, "Finally, some privacy."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

As soon as Kenzi got outside, she picked up the large satellite dish they'd converted into a reflector. Hale helped her angle it and then they watched the skies to see if Tamsin saw them. Sure enough, on her first pass over the property, she tipped her wing. They watched as she circled around and lined up again, bringing the plane in to hover over the landing spot before setting it down.

"Damn that bitch is massive!" Kenzi said, running next to the plane to get a better look, "Do we have a ladder big enough to reach that cockpit? How will they get out?"

"We'll get them into that second barn first. It has a second floor, right? Hopefully that big, tall nose will fit in there and they can climb out onto a rafter."

Kenzi nodded, pointing Tamsin towards where Hale was running. She followed, slowly maneuvering along until she had to pass through a gap between the first barn and the house.

"Oh shit." Kenzi said, watching as the wings moved closer and closer to the structure, "Hale, she's not gonna make it!"

She watched as Hale lifted both arms over his head until his hands met,

"What the hell kind of signal is that? Tell her to stop!" Kenzi yelled, taking a few steps towards him, but stopped when she saw the planes wings begin to fold up. Her eyes went wide,

"Damn! That is SO cool and it's all mine!" Kenzi clapped her hands together with enthusiasm before her shoulders slumped and she mumbled, "...until I give the company back because my sister will kill me if I don't."

 _ **Inside the barn...**_

With the plane inside the barn, the four sat together on a few hay bales and shared the evidence they'd all gathered. They sat patiently and listened to the recordings that Stevie had given to Tamsin, their mouths practically dropping to the floor. They hadn't realized that Evony was standing in the doorway until she spoke,

"Please tell me that young man is safe."

Tamsin and Lauren looked at each other, "I thought you said the Generals were the priority?"

"That was before I knew you had that recording. You said there are others in his group?"

Tamsin nodded, "He told me there are others who want to take these guys down. They don't like that their own pilots are being killed to protect the interests of these big wigs. We still don't have motive."

Evony shook her head, "Motive doesn't matter when you have recordings like that, especially if there are more of them. But again, as I said before, more bullet-proof testimonies are better than just one or two. I really need the Generals. Bo's testimony will be crucial as well."

"That reminds me." Kenzi said, pulling a drive from her pocket and handing it to Evony, "I have another one, but this has the pictures of Bo after the crash as requested."

Evony nodded as everyone fell silent at the expression on her face.

"Okay, Evony. That's enough. You know something about Bo, so tell us. We're her closest friends. We would never give her up even if we were being tortured." Kenzi demanded.

"Even the Doctor?"

Kenzi groaned, "Yes, even the Doctor."

"I don't know that Bo would agree." Evony argued.

"Evony, she is trusting me to return her company to her when this is all over. She has nothing if this doesn't work for us. For crying out loud, she had to ask me for a job at her own company! Give her a break."

Lauren was shocked that Kenzi was actually defending her, but she was not going to argue with her about it. Finally, Evony spoke,

"She's alive and, as you suspected, pretty banged up but still, they wanted to get her off the carrier tonight. Unfortunately, an American submarine that was not scheduled to be in the waters off the Alaskan coast has moved into the area. The Admiral decided not to chance transferring her by jet. It would be too obvious if that sub is there looking for her or any of you."

"So what's the plan to get her here?" Kenzi asked.

"They're working on the problem." Evony replied.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Aircraft Carrier, Admiral's Office – 2 Days later...**_

"Stick, you just have to be patient."

"Manes, if you tell me I have to be patient one more time, I'm gonna make you a patient in the infirmary! You do realize I haven't left this room since I arrived and that I've hidden in the bathroom, under the bed and in that tiny closet at least a dozen times? I'm getting a little edgy here, Manes. I've got to do something."

"That's not true. You did leave the Admiral's Quarters when we snuck you down to sick bay to have the MRI done of your internal organs."

"That hardly counts, Manes. I was barely conscious."

"You were conscious... you were just having a bit of a relapse."

Bo sighed, "Because I have a massive concussion."

"You're right and that's one of the reasons you're not flying off of this carrier with the next mission. Your ribs aren't healed and the MRI showed..."

"I know, I know. I have a small laceration on my liver and I've bruised my left kidney and spleen. I have a small tear in the tendon that anchors my heart to my diaphragm. I'm taking it easy, Manes but I'm still antsy."

Manes sighed, watching as the pilot gripped her side when she turned to quickly to sit down. He felt bad for her. She wasn't the kind of woman to sit around. If she wasn't pushing the envelope in a jet, she was usually running, lifting, boxing, rock climbing or doing some other form of extreme sport. Here, he and the Admiral had been entertaining her with chess, poker, flight simulator games on the flat screen or movies. There were also the strange conversations where Bo would ask if he knew anything about Lauren or, more specifically, if she okay and had she asked about her. He had never known the Colonel to get involved in relationships, so it sort of caught him by surprise. She was quite disappointed when he told her she had no news about the engineer. She was antsy. Very, very antsy.

Of course, it had helped when the Admiral had asked Stick to start helping to develop strategic maneuvers for the missions they were running, but most were basic surveillance missions that did not involve engagement. She quickly grew bored, so the Admiral started having her come up with the training scenarios as well. That kept her a bit more entertained, but Manes would catch her watching the planes take off and land via the security cameras. She was struggling to keep it together and he knew it. He sighed,

"Okay then, why don't you put together a plan to get you to that family fishing hole of yours. You could see Lauren. Just make sure you account for every obstacle you may encounter."

Bo turned and looked at him, "That would be nice, but I highly doubt the Admiral would really let me do that."

"If the plan is full proof, I don't see why he wouldn't. You've been planning ops with him the last few days, so you clearly have his ear." Manes replied.

Both officers looked up at the ceiling when they heard activity on the helipad. Bo looked at Manes,

"Someone incoming?"

He shrugged, "Not that I know of. You'd better stay here and be prepared to hide. I'll go see what's up."

Bo nodded as he left the room. She slid over to the Admirals' desk and pulled open the cabinet before sliding the monitor out. Gripping the joystick, she maneuvered the cameras around deck until she could see what was happening above her. She watched as the Admiral greeted four men in Naval dress uniforms and two Marines.

A chill ran up her spine, "Shit. This is not good."

She returned the equipment to its hold and began running around the room making sure anything that would give away her presence was well hidden. She then moved to the bed and dumped the box of clothing she'd been given into a bag, and then stuffed it into the bottom drawer of the closet. She slid under the bed and moved the admirals' golf clubs and tackle box in position in front of her on one side blocking her from view. She turned the other way and pulled the admiral's duffle bag in front of her upper body, using her feet to maneuver his guitar on a diagonal to block the view of her legs and feet.

She sighed, moving into position, pulling the small pillow under her head and settling in for the long wait. This had become her life and she was ready for this to be over. She thought about what Manes had said and began running various scenarios around in her mind. If they couldn't figure out a way to get her back home, she would. For now, she would lay back, relax and focus on a certain blonde doctor to pass the time.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Sundown, Evony's Ranch, One Day Later...**_

Tamsin sat in the living room looking out at the lone tree sitting in the backyard when Kenzi walked into the room,

"The Doc still out there?"

Tamsin nodded, "Yea. I don't understand how she can just sit out there in the snow staring up at the sky for hours and hours on end. She does it every night."

Kenzi shrugged, "She told Hale she likes to watch the sunset."

Tamsin laughed, "So do I, but I watch them from in here where it's warm. What's she doing out there?"

Moving to the window, the younger woman leaned onto the sill, "I think maybe it's some sort of penance. Hale said she feels responsible for the situation that Bo is in. She feels responsible for her Father's part in all of this."

"She could not have stopped any of this from happening. This started a long, long time ago with your Dad."

"I know that, but convincing her of those little facts is a whole different ball game." Kenzi replied, looking into the other room where Evony sat at her desk, headphones covering her ears, "She's gonna play those recordings to death. What the hell is she looking for?"

"She said there's always more evidence than meets the eye... or in this case, the ear." Tamsin replied with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Whatevs." Kenzi shook her head, turning back to the window, "Wow. I've never seen so many colors in a single sky. That's brilliant."

Tamsin nodded, "It truly is a beautiful sunset but I still prefer... and love... watching them from above the clouds."

Kenzi nodded, folding her arms over her chest and shifting to lean against the window frame. The pair sat in silence, watching nature take its course during the next thirty minutes. When it grew difficult to see outside, they moved to the fireplace and settled onto the couch with grilled cheese sandwiches and a movie from Evony... Top Gun.

"I can't believe she got us Top Gun. I mean, seriously?" Tamsin whined.

Kenzi nodded, "At least we have grilled cheese. Did you see her fridge? I swear the woman eats nothing but lettuce and carrots. I think she's part rabbit."

"Do you mind if I join you?"

The pair turned to see Lauren standing awkwardly by the doorway.

"Sure, Doc. Glad you decided to join the land of the living." Kenzi replied.

Lauren walked into the room and sat on the recliner by the sofa. Her body was rigid in the chair, her eyes immediately locked on the screen of the television and her jaw was clenched. Kenzi and Tamsin sat for a while just staring at the blonde who was staring at the dark screen. They looked at each other and then back at Lauren until finally, Kenzi couldn't stand it anymore,

"Uh, Doc? Lauren?"

The blonde turned to the young raven-haired girl, "Yes?"

"You do know the movie isn't on yet, right? I mean... we haven't even put in the DVD yet. What are you looking at?"

Lauren blushed, jamming her hands between her knees and rocking forward, "I was... well... I don't know. I guess I was just lost in my thoughts."

"Care to share?" Kenzi asked.

"Actually, I'd rather not." She replied.

"Really?" Kenzi asked, turning to Tamsin, "She's locking us out. Did you hear that? She's giving us the Doctor Freeze. We got her out of Nellis and this is how she shows her appreciation. The silent treatment. It's not right, right?"

Tamsin crossed her arms over her chest, "Definitely not right. I mean, you would think that after shutting us out for the last couple of days, she would finally talk a little bit when she finally comes out of whatever crook she was hiding in, but no... not even a 'how are you' or a 'what have you been up to'."

Lauren rolled her eyes, "Evony just told me... I mean... she found evidence... my biological Father... there's evidence that he built the bomb that took down your Father's plane... at least he designed it. They found drawings... it's a similar device to the one they used on Bo's plane. The motive... well, that's still a little fuzzy, but... well, they think your Father got wind of five planes that weren't worth the money they were spending on them... that they'd taken shortcuts on the design and the pilots were at risk. They have messages sent by carrier between my Dad and then General Marshall. Apparently the General ordered my Father five pilots who were all knowledgeable about the flaws in the planes... your Dad was one of them."

Kenzi sat very still, her eyes locked on the blonde as she continued,

"In addition to your Father, Generals Walker and Flanders are two other pilots he was supposed to take out. As far as Evony can tell, your Dad was the only one of the five they successfully in eliminated. That means they would walk on the charges of conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder for the other four. The Feds and Pentagon would only be able to charge them for your Dad's murder which means they could get out before they die of natural causes."

Lauren hung her head, "I'm so sorry that my Father took your Father from you. I cannot tell you how sorry I am for your loss... I can only promise you that I didn't know what kind of man he was when I took this job and I regret it every minute of every day."

She looked up at Kenzi, "My company is yours... for good. It's the least I can do. If I could trade my life for his and give you your Dad back, I would, but..."

"Stop it. Just stop, okay?" Kenzi said, standing up and waving her hands at Lauren, "Look..." She paused, wiping her hand down the side of her face and settling it on her hip as she gathered her thoughts, "... I read your file..."

"My file?" Lauren asked.

"Yes. After you asked to exhume my Father's body, I read your file and from what I read, you never knew your Father growing up which means you had no contact with him when my Dad was alive."

Lauren was shocked, "I... I have a file?"

Kenzi laughed, "You're a military child with a military contract to make the planes that carry our pilots and other personnel. Did you really think they wouldn't do a deep dive on your background?"

The blonde doctor scowled, her eyes searching Kenzi's face for more information, but the younger woman said nothing more,

"I hadn't actually thought about it."

"Well, I work military intelligence at the highest level. You do get what that is, right?"

Lauren nodded once, "I have an idea."

Tamsin laughed, "Girl, it means that Kenzi knows everything there is to know about you... and I mean everything."

Lauren looked at Tamsin, her eyes filled with concern before she turned back to the intelligence officer, "So you looked into my background because you suspected I was involved with your Father's death?"

Kenzi shook her head, "Yea, right. A kid had my Father killed."

"So why did you run a background check on me?" Lauren asked.

"You were bringing back the program that killed him and wanted to exhume his body. Bringing back the program I can understand, but why would you need my Dad's body to do that?" Kenzi asked.

"I needed to know how he was killed to know what went wrong with the planes. My Father said you refused."

Kenzi looked at Tamsin before turning back to Lauren, "Actually, the Secretary gave me your Daddy's request, he told me that they both felt it wasn't necessary... that it was within my rights to refuse. They said that science and the sacred grave of a fallen soldier should never become partners for the good of progress."

A slow smirk spread across Lauren's face as she shook her head, "Of course."

"Of course?" Kenzi asked.

Lauren laughed as she looked up at Kenzi, "He played me. I trusted him and he played me."

Kenzi watched as the smile slowly morphed into an expression she didn't recognize. She watched as the blonde stood and walked across the room to the window, pausing for a moment before she pulled on her coat and left the house. Kenzi walked to the glass and stared out into the backyard, pausing for a long moment before turning to Tamsin,

"I guess she's going to sit out there all night now."

Tamsin stood and walked over to her friend, "Can you blame her?"

Kenzi sighed, "Guess not. Her Dad is a real piece of work."

"Suddenly I'm starting to feel grateful for my Dad." Tamsin laughed.

"You're grateful for the gigantic drunken asshole who used to beat the crap out of you and your Mom?"

Tamsin shrugged, "At least he didn't kill anyone. He didn't lure me into his world and turn me into a lush."

"Yea, I guess there's that." Kenzi replied, turning back to the frosted glass to check on the doctor, "She can't really sit out there all night like that. She'll be Frosty's wife by morning."

"Well, you did say she was frigid as a damn speculum." Tamsin laughed, tossing a potato chip into her mouth.

Kenzi shrugged, "Yea, well that was before I read more of her file. She's had a pretty shit life and despite all of that, she still managed to build a reputable company as one of the greatest engineers of her time. I mean, that's tough for anyone let alone a woman."

"Hey, Kenz. Check out that sky?"

Kenzi smiled, "The Aurora Borealis. Cool."

"Definitely." Tamsin replied, "What do you think it up with Stick?"

"Well, if she's alive, she'll be here. We made a pact a long time ago."

"A pact?"

Kenzi turned to Tamsin, "Whenever shit got real, we'd be there for each other no matter what."

Tamsin nodded, "Well, shit is definitely gettin' real."

"You can say that again, Sister."

They both stared out at the night sky, the bright colors lighting up the ground around the blonde doctor who now sat once again beneath the lone tree of the vast farmlands.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Meanwhile, somewhere in the Bering Sea...**_

It had been hours since Bo had slipped beneath the bed of the Admiral. Unfortunately, when he came in, he had closed the door to his bedroom. She could hear the muffled words of the conversation between numerous men in the outer room, but it was not enough to know who or what was being said. The fact that he'd closed the door led her to believe that the people in his office were not friendlies, so she had remained in her hiding place. However, she was now getting sore from being in the same position and while her random thoughts of a certain blonde could distract her for hours on end, her muscles were now very tight and they were beginning to cramp. In addition, her injuries were beginning to make themselves known once again.

She had been healing well, but staying in this position let her know that Manes was likely right. She was in no condition to do anything too strenuous just yet. If she was found, would she have to fight? She'd only seen the small group of men come on board. They were all officers from their uniforms, but she couldn't make out their ranks from the distance.

Suddenly, she heard the door open and a streak of light slip beneath the bed in front of her. She pulled back, holding her breath before she saw a hand pull away the duffle bag,

"Hey, Stick. You want to come outta there?"

"Uh... I guess my cover is blown?" Bo asked, looking up at the smiling Admiral.

"Well, in a manner of speaking that may be true," He offered his hand to Bo, "But not in the way you think."

Bo got to her feet and glanced over his shoulder, her eyes growing wider, "What the..."

"Sorry, Stick. Manes just came in and told me he'd left you in here. I had no idea you had slipped under the bed. I thought you were down at sick bay with the Doc."

"You mean I was hiding under there for nothing all that time?" Bo asked as she followed him into the outer room.

"Yup. Nothing but friendlies here." He smiled, taking a seat in his chair as Bo entered the room, clearly confused.

"Colonel. Glad to see you're still with us." General Walker said, standing and extending his hand to Bo.

"Uh... I um..."

The General gripped her hand and waved to the chair beside him, "I see you're a bit surprised to see me."

"Surprised isn't exactly the word I'd used, but it'll do." She turned to the Admiral, "I saw the chopper land and a group of Naval Officers get off. I thought we were busted."

The General smiled, "I called in a few favors and hitched a ride out here. The uniforms were necessary to complete our plan. Right now, there are three of our Naval subs monitoring our communications on and off of this ship. As far as they know, my friends Admiral Shaw and Admiral Hanes are visiting the ship. Naturally, they would have a couple of Petty Officers along with them."

The General nodded to the other men in the room and Bo smiled, "General Flanders, happy to see you."

Bo gave her superior a salute before turning to the younger men, "I remember you. I think you were helping Manes out with my plane, right?"

The young man nodded, giving Bo a salute, "Yes, Ma'am."

"What's your name?" Bo asked.

"Airman Rodgers, Ma'am. First name Stephen, but everyone calls me Stevie."

"Like Wonder?" Bo asked.

He nodded, cringing at the question he always got.

"Well, Wonderboy, I'm glad to see you. Any reason I'm seeing you?" She looked at the other Tops in the room.

He shook his head, "It's Scoop, Ma'am."

"Pardon?" Bo asked.

"My call sign. It's Scoop."

Bo chuckled, "Pardon, my surprise there, Airman, but I see no wings on your uniform. Is that just because you're wearing Navy dress?"

General Flanders smiled, "Apparently Rage adopted his call sign on base just before she left. He gave us quite a bit of information, so I believe the name is well-deserved."

Bo nodded, "Information, huh? About what?"

General Walker smiled, looking at Admiral Burke before turning back to Bo, "Apparently our young Airman here has been running a little sting operation of his own with some of his buddies for quite some time now."

Bo's eyes moved to the younger man, "Really now?"

He beamed with pride as he replied, "Yes, Ma'am."

Admiral Burke looked at Bo, "He's got sound, Stick. Lots and lots of sound."

Her mouth dropped open as her eyes traveled the room to make sure she wasn't hearing things before she looked back to the Airman,

"Well done, Scoop. Well done." She turned to the men, "So, what's next?"

General Walker smiled, "First, everyone hears the recordings... together. We want everyone we can get to listen to have the information. If they take any of us out, the rest of us still have the information."

Admiral Burke added, "And the three of us pooled all of our favors, so a few others outside of our immediate circle will have the information as well, just in case they get to all of us."

"They?" Bo asked.

"There are a lot of people involved, Bo. I'm sorry to say that this has gone way up the chain and through several branches of our military since our planes don't belong to only one branch of service."

Bo sighed, giving a shrug, "I guess I knew that was going to be the case. Any progress on who took down my Dad?"

The room grew quiet, "When you get to the fishing hole, you'll hear the whole story on that, Stick. We think we have all of the pieces to the puzzle though."

Bo nodded, "Sorry, but can I ask who you are?"

The young man that was seated next to Stevie rose and saluted Bo, "Airman First Class Jonathan Ross, Ma'am. My Uncle and my Dad were both mechanics who worked with your Dad. They've been working the case since they retired with General Flanders here."

The Airman nodded to the General who turned to Bo, "They were bar buddied with your Dad and always looked out for your Mom after your Dad died, Stick. I think they'll look familiar to you when you finally meet them, but that's a few weeks away."

Burke added, "The Admirals I mentioned earlier are working on vetting the people we're going to turn the information over to, Stick. We're trying to cover all of the bases, but right now, we've got to play these recordings for you and then get you on a plane to the fishing hole."

Bo nodded, "I'm getting out of here?"

The Admiral smiled, "Manes gave me your plan. I think it will work, especially with my outside help. We don't have much time, so lets get to it."

The group huddled together around the table as Airman Rodgers played tape after tape of conversations that had been recorded by witnesses of phone and in-person conversations between the perpetrators. After they'd finished, they circulated emails and each of them was given a file of all communications. Bo was given an additional copy to give to the Feds when she arrived at the fishing hole. Finally, the meeting was at its end and the group was ready to move from the carrier.

The subs were due to surface soon. When they did, the Airman and Generals would board the chopper again, their business concluded. They would head back towards base, but would land instead on a small farm in Idaho where they would move to a transport and travel to the fishing hole.

Bo was going to be transported second seat in an F-15. The pilot was a retired Naval Aviator who was related to Burke's friend, Admiral Hanes. She would board the plane below deck, hidden from view when the pilot boarded the plane. The flight was being listed as a reconnaissance mission, so radio silence would be required. They would also land in Idaho and board the transport where another Naval Aviator would fly the plane back to the ship on schedule so the recon mission would be perceived as complete. Naturally, Bo complained about having to fly second seat. She hated not being the one at the controls of a jet she was in, but she hadn't been cleared medically to fly, so was given no other choice.

She eventually caved in when she realized that arguing would get her another few weeks hiding under the Admirals' bunk. She loved the man. He was a great commanding officer, but she was sick of being confined to quarters – especially shared quarters. One thing Bo Dennis needed was her privacy and honestly, she was definitely ready for some alone time.

They all stood, the Airman pulling on their Navy uniforms as the Generals did the same. When they were all ready to go, the two younger men gave Bo a salute, which she returned.

Stevie smiled, "I'm glad that I could help to bring your Father's killers to justice. No matter what happens, Ma'am, you should know that I would sacrifice my life if it meant justice was done."

Bo smiled, "Well, let's hope you don't have to do that, Airman.

"Ma'am, yes, Ma'am."

Bo laughed, "You're in a Navy uniform, Mister. You have to remember to say Aye, Sir and Aye, Ma'am or you'll give yourself away."

He smiled, "Aye, Ma'am."

"Thata boy, Petty Officer." Bo laughed, pointing to the stripes on his Navy uniform.

The two Generals turned to Bo who waved them off, "Let's just say, see you soon, okay? No one is saying any goodbyes. We've been waiting too long for this fishing trip, so I'll meet you both at the fishing hole in one piece, okay?"

General Flanders smiled, "Since none of us are actually in the correct uniform, I'd say hugs will do better than salutes."

He pulled Bo into a tight hug, "I've not seen you much since your Dad died, but I've always been paying attention to what was happening to you and Kenzi, Bo. Everyone close to your Dad has been looking out for you whether you knew it or not. Now, we're going to make things right."

She pulled back, smiling as General Walker offered her a hug as well.

"Thank you both... all of you." She looked around the room, "You are all putting so much on the line to clear my Father's name. I can't tell you how much it means to me to see that finally happen and... well, I can't tell you how much it means to know that there is still a great deal of honor and integrity in the military I serve. I was beginning to have my doubts for the past few years."

General Walker nodded, "Well, we're about to take out the trash, so to speak."

Bo smiled, "I'll close the lid."

The door to the Admiral's office opened, revealing a smiling Manes, "All set?"

The men nodded as he added, "Stick, you hang tight. Launch is at 1900. I'm going to have to put you in there around 1830. Sorry, but you're going to be couped up for a while."

Bo nodded, "I'll sit here and stretch for a while then. I'm sort of stiff from being under the bed for the first few hours."

The Admiral sighed, "Sorry, about that Stick. I..."

"It's okay, Admiral." She waved him off.

Her eyes fell on the smiles offered by each of the men as they left the room before she turned them on Manes, ready for a change of subject,

"Hey, about this pilot that's flying me out. You trust him?"

Manes smiled and nodded, " _She_ is the Navy version of Air Force Colonel Stick Dennis."

"A woman, huh? Good to know. They say she's retired. Are you sure she's not too rusty for this?"

Manes shook his head, "She flies commercial jets now, but isn't fully retired."

"Reserves?" Bo asked.

Manes nodded, "Yup. She's keeping up with her qualifying. Just ran a mission about a month ago because we needed someone with her skill set."

"Oh? And what skill set is that?" Bo asked.

"She flies the F-22 on long range reconnaissance flights and the Super Raptor on combat missions."

Bo smiled, "Gotta love a girl with a great skill set. Any other... assets?"

Manes smirked, "You know, one of these days, you and I are gonna go out bar hopping again and when we do, you're gonna be my wingman for a change."

Bo laughed, "Aw, don't be like that, Manes. Just because I score more often than you, is no reason to hold out on me."

"Fine. She's got great assets... really great. She runs a close second to that... what was that girls' name you and Tamsin always talk about?"

A slow, seductive grin spread across Bo's face as her eyes grew dark, "Stacey Morgan. Miss Honeydew, Y2K."

Manes laughed, "You're worse than a drunken sailor in a bar."

Bo gave him a slap on the shoulder, which made him laugh even more as they settled onto the sofa together, "Okay, show me these flight plans."

"Really, Bo. You can trust your pilot. She graduated top of her class from Top Gun. She's the real deal."

Bo nodded, "Okay. I just hate that we're pulling someone else into this, especially Lauren. She's not even military. She didn't ask for this fiasco."

Manes agreed, "I know, but like everyone else, she's looking out for you and your Dad's legacy. Everyone wants these guys taken down, Stick. You don't mess with pilots. Period. They're sending a message by teaming up like this and I think it's a good one."

"I know. I just... I don't want to lose anyone, Manes. My Dad wouldn't want that either."

He nodded, "I wish I would have known him, Bo. He sounds like a really stand up guy."

Bo smiled, "He was the best."

The pair sat in silence for a moment, the pilot's thoughts going to Lauren again. Why was she thinking of the blonde so often and at such random times? She heaved a sigh and redirected the conversation, "Okay, let's do this."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Lauren sat leaning against the tree staring up at the sky and wondering if by some strange chance, she would see a jet suddenly appear in the sky. She wasn't looking for just any jet, of course. She was looking for Bo's jet. It had been too long and she was starting to worry that the woman hadn't survived her injuries. If she hadn't, that would be her fault too and Kenzi would be left with no family and no home. Every day she would sit here and play over the events of the last several years in her mind, wondering how she got where she was... why she was here.

Had it all started when her Father had showed up at the convention? Had he had this all planned out from their very first meeting? One thing she knew now was that she would never know for sure. He was too far gone now for her to trust anything he might say. In his moments of clarity, he would cover his tracks and in his moments of dementia, he would be giving everyone random orders.

No matter how many times she played everything over in her head, it all came out the same. She was a part of this... she played into her Dad's hands and ended up a party to all of this. Sure, she hadn't killed Jack Dennis, but by reviving the program that had taken the life of him and other pilots, she made herself an accessory after the fact. She was guilty and the guilt was slowly swallowing her whole. She wanted to see Bo and beg her forgiveness. She needed her forgiveness. She didn't know why, exactly. She just knew that one simple fact. Bo's forgiveness was the only thing that might wash away her guilt. But if Bo was dead, how would she ever survive the weight of her actions?

"You know, pneumonia is apparently a really shitty way to die. I don't recommend it."

Lauren looked up to see Kenzi standing over her as she draped a blanket over her shoulders. A tint of light green shown down on her face from the artic light show,

"I uh... I..."

Kenzi sat down beside her, "Look, Doc. I know you're beating yourself up over what you believe was your part in all of this, but need I remind you that it was you who busted open the investigation, it was you who figured out what was wrong with the planes and it was you who found that my Dad's body wasn't actually a body at all, but buried parts from his downed plane."

Lauren turned to Kenzi, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Bo told me before she left. We have no secrets between us." Kenzi replied, "That said, she also told me that she doesn't blame you for any of this and that I shouldn't blame you either. You were used, plain and simple. If you had known what they were doing, you wouldn't have helped them. We know you're not that kind of person."

Her eyes still locked on the sky, Lauren replied, "I just feel dirty. I have that man's blood in my veins and it makes me feel dirty."

Kenzi nodded, "Well, I can't do anything about your blood. You sort of need it. What you can do is help us put these guys away. That's what we need from you. That's how you will find retribution."

Lauren looked at Kenzi, "Retribution, huh?"

Kenzi only shrugged, "Well, this tiny body doesn't do well in the cold, so I'm heading back in. You coming?"

Lauren nodded, "Okay."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Air Craft Carrier, Bering Sea**_

Bo Dennis hated tight spaces and right now, she was feeling downright claustrophobic. This pilot was two minutes late by her watch and she was pissed. She still had to run the pre-flight. She really wanted to squirm her way into the first seat, lower the canopy and take off herself, but she would only draw the attention of the subs and give them reason to shoot her down.

Finally, she heard Manes outside the cockpit talking to someone. The voice sounded familiar, but Bo couldn't quite place it. Was that her pilot? She listened to the sound of standard-issue boots on the ladder to the cockpit and waited patiently, her eyes fixed on the dark sky above, the distant light of the flight tower offering the only assistance to her vision.

The pilot came into view, her clipboard partially hiding her face as she did her pre-flight. She leaned into the cockpit and looked back between the seat and the side of the jet and gave Bo a quick wink as she said,

"Well, hello there, Colonel. Fancy meeting you hear, huh?"

"Sarah?" Bo asked, shocked to see the woman she'd bedded before landing at the base. Suddenly she felt guilty... like she was cheating on Lauren. Why would she think that? She wasn't in a relationship with her. Hell, the doctor probably hadn't even noticed her in that way. She was just a pilot to Lauren and she had to remember that or she would end up with a broken heart.

Bo heard the pilot flip a few switched beginning her climb into the cockpit, "In the flesh, but for the duration of this flight, we'll be using my call sign."

Bo licked her lips as the blonde turned, giving her a good view of her ass before she planted it in the seat. Manes came into view, pulling the harness over the blonde and signaling Bo to slide into the seat with her head down,

"Secure that netting I rigged for takeoff, Bo. As soon as you reach altitude, you can sit up and pull on the harness. Sorry we're late. We had a surprise visitor."

"Surprise visitor?" Bo asked as Manes pulled the straps tight and handed Sarah her helmet.

Manes looked at her, "The Fleet Admiral came on board."

"What does that mean?" Bo asked, her eyes filled with concern.

Manes shook his head, leaning in to the cockpit, "We're not really sure yet, but he brought me my transfer of service order. I'm officially Air Force now. He tried to get me second seat on this flight with Sarah, but the Admiral told him I was scheduled for duty for twelve more hours, so he agreed with no resistance whatsoever."

"Where is he now?" Bo asked.

"Still in the Admiral's office. All we can really do right now is hope that he's on our side. It's time for you to go, Bo. Godspeed... just because I know you like that shit. Oh, and I hope you saw the honeydew. Not bad, huh?"

Bo smiled and nodded. She wasn't one to kiss and tell, so she let it go. Besides, she'd found a better honeydew in Lauren Lewis. Shit. Why did she keep popping into her head? Instead of dwelling on the blonde doctor, she watched as the canopy closed and waited for Sarah to run through the pre-mission protocol with the tower. Finally, she saw her signal the flight deck and braced herself in the netting for take off. She'd never been out of her seat for a launch and she knew that this was incredibly dangerous, but she also knew the sub was likely using night vision and watching every big of movement in the cockpit.

She heard the engine rev and then felt the force of ejection as they rocketed up into the night sky in a matter of seconds. She remained silent as she heard Sarah radio the tower,

"Flight, going radio silent for duration of mission. See you boys tomorrow."

"You got it, Fury. Radio silent."

Bo waited to hear the clicks and then, as expected Sarah spoke, "Climb into that seat, Stick. It's time to get comfy back there. We've got to fly into Canadian airspace to lose our boys on the sub, then we'll circle back around to friendly air... and by friendly, I mean a tower that has people who are on our side of this gigantic conspiracy. Damn, Stick. What did you get yourself into here?"

Bo struggled into the seat before she spoke, "I was born into this shit and I didn't know you were going to get pulled into it. I'm sorry."

"My Dad asked and I said yes. You didn't do this to me. I did it myself. When I heard it was you, I wasn't about to say no."

"Uh... well..."

Sarah chuckled, "No strings, Bo. That hasn't changed."

"Oh. Right." Bo replied, uncomfortable with the innuendo. She changed the subject, "So... Fury, huh?"

"Yea, short for furious." Sarah replied, "Banking hard right to new course."

Bo leaned into the turn as she spoke, "Is there a specific furious event that earned you that one?"

Sarah shrugged, "This guy named Ron Marias was my wingman on a practice run. I pulled out of the engagement when our instructor went below the established hard deck for the hop but Ron decided to take him on anyway. He flew in and cut me off. I ended up in his jet wash at just below 10,000 feet and went into a flat spin. I had to eject and while I was okay, I guess I had a few choice words for him when I was finally back at base."

"Well, shit like that would piss any pilot off. Tell me they washed him out."

Sarah gave a nod that Bo couldn't see, "They did, but I could have bit it that day. Asshole."

Bo laughed, "Still pisses you off to talk about, eh?"

"Damn straight it does." Sarah replied.

"So, how did you get pulled into this?"

"Well, my Dad is Admiral Sam Hanes. He's besties with your Admiral Burke. My Dad got the lowdown on this conspiracy and decided to help out in any way he could. Burke called in the favor and he had the answer."

"You?"

"Me." Sarah replied, "I don't mind, Bo. I would have done it for anyone. There's no room for political bullshit in our job. They're supposed to protect us and – well, from what your Dad gave me to read – it looks like they've just been trying to kill you."

"Yea, well I never really saw that until someone pointed it out to me." Bo replied.

"Can I ask? Why did you agree to those missions? Well, more importantly, how the hell did you survive?"

Bo laughed, "Well, they don't call me Stick for nothing."

"Seriously, Bo."

"I have a great team. You'll meet them all at the fishing hole."

Sarah laughed, "Nice. I can't wait to meet the family."

"Sarah..."

"Oh lighten up, Bo. There's nothing wrong with a little light-hearted flirting. We agreed no strings, but I never said I wouldn't flirt and be totally inappropriate at times." Sarah let out a laugh as she began a slow turn.

" _Unidentified aircraft, you have entered Canadian Airspace. Please respond."_

"Sarah..."

"Mic is live, Stick." Sarah replied, forcing Bo to wait patiently. She really, really hated flying second seat, but still, she listened while the pilot replied.

"Authorization code zulu, uniform, zulu, sierra, zulu, alpha, 0-2-9er Canadian Air Force Command."

The pair waited patiently for a quick reply, but when it didn't happen, Sarah made a decision,

"Turning off our radios so we can talk. I'm going to want your input when possible through this part. Your ass is on the line here too. For now, I'm going to circle back around to have a look. I want to make sure we didn't pick up any unwanted company. Are you monitoring anything back there or just along for the ride?"

Bo blushed. For all of her complaining about being in this seat, she had been treating it like a luxury suite instead of doing the intended job for a pilot's reel.

"Sorry, I thought this was first class. I didn't know I had to work for my flight. I'm on it." She decided humor was a better response with Sarah.

"And here I thought I'd bought a few days off from the kiss-ass world of my commercial airline life." Sarah chuckled in reply.

"Is it that bad? I mean, commercial piloting?" Bo asked.

Sarah sighed, "If I actually had a chance to be the pilot, it wouldn't be so bad, but as you probably know, there's three seats on the big birds and women are usually confined to co-pilot or navigator status."

"Yea, that's what I figured." Bo replied, "The air looks clear from back here."

"Same here, but there could be something with stealth capabilities flying around."

"Agreed." Bo replied as the cockpit went silent once again, "Hey, I'm sorry about earlier. I've just been a little wound up from everything that's been happening. My sense of humor seems to have vanished." Bo replied, looking down as the lights over their destination came into view once again.

"Well, I do believe I remember a little bit about how to unwind you." Sarah smiled, "Hold on, tight, Stick. I'm going to try another approach. Switching back to two-way audio."

"Affirmative." Bo replied.

"Tower Canada. I say again, authorization code zulu, uniform, zulu, sierra, zulu, alpha, 0-2-9er for Canadian Air Force Command."

" _Stand by unidentified craft."_

"Uh... Fury? We've got company." Bo said suddenly, turning to catch a glimpse of the aircraft burning past her. Her eyes went wide,

"Shit, Fury are you sure we're in Canadian airspace?"

"Yes, why?" Sarah asked.

"Because that plane was Russian."

"Fuck. What the hell!" Sarah replied, "Would those crazy-ass generals use the Russians to shoot us down?"

Bo's heart was racing as she replied, "I can't see them on radar anymore. What the hell! I'm pretty sure that was a MIG-31 Foxhound. This plane can outrun them, but they're carrying more firepower and can fly longer than we can."

"How the hell do you know so much about Russian planes?" Sarah asked.

"It's a... hobby... of one of those people we're going fishing with tomorrow." Bo replied.

"Let me try the Canadians one more time." Sarah replied, "Tower, Canada. We've got company up here. We're really appreciate a decision... soon."

" _Roger that, unidentified craft. You should receive a message shortly."_

"Shit! Fury, we've got two... no, three MIGs!" Bo shouted, "Evasive!"

Sarah took evasive measures, climbing and heading back out towards sea, "I've gone radio silent again, Bo. Something is wrong on the ground. I'm going to head back out to the Bering Sea again. Maybe the cold will cause problems for them. I've heard..."

"No good, Fury. I got a good look at those planes. They're MIG-31 Foxhounds – all weather planes. You're only chance is to outmaneuver them... unless you're thinking firefight."

Sarah went silent, her mind focused on evading the planes and not getting pinned in between the three. Bo advised,

"Not that you want my advice, but we turn tighter than they do."

"Good to know." Sarah replied, banking hard right before hitting the brakes and performing a rapid descent, coming up behind one of the planes, "I've got missile lock on them. Let's see if that's enough to get them to bug out."

"Your lips to their ears." Bo replied, her eyes focused on the plane ahead who finally broke hard right, "I guess it would be too much to think they're not coming back."

"I'm sure." Sarah replied just before one of the MIGs cut her off, "Shit! Jet wash!"

Bo's arms flailed around as she tried to grip anything she could to hold on and not be thrown about in the cockpit. This is why she hated flying second seat. They were in a flat spin and it was unlikely they would recover.

"Eject! Eject!" Sarah called out to Bo who positioned herself just before the pilot pulled the handle, launching the pair into the atmosphere.

Bo watched in horror as one of the jets buzzed by the pilot just as her chute opened. She grunted when her own chute opened, pulling her up from the free fall she was in, causing her to lose sight of Sarah. Once she re-oriented herself, she looked around and saw Sarah struggling to open the chute. She yelled out as loud as she could, knowing the other woman probably wouldn't hear her,

"Cut it away! Pull your reserve! Pull your reserve!"

Bo's heart was pounding in her chest as she watched the woman accelerate towards the water below. She knew from experience that water felt just as much like concrete as land – or actual concrete for that matter. She'd had some hard landings that knocked her out cold. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw the second chute deploy above the pilot. She knew the landing would still be hard, but nothing more could be done until she landed. For now, she began reminding herself that the icy waters of the Bering Sea were going to be her next challenge...

 _ **Three Days Later, Evony's Farm...**_

Everyone turned at once to the sound of Lauren's voice calling out from the field, "A plane! A plane!"

Kenzi looked at Tamsin and laughed, "Does she think she's on Fantasy Island?"

Tamsin laughed, letting out a snort which made both of them laugh harder until Evony spoke from where she was now gazing out of the giant picture window at the back of the farmhouse,

"Cargo plane." She turned to Hale, "Barn four. You can't see if from the air, but if you land them on target for the barn, there's a tunnel of trees that will hide the plane."

"A tunnel of trees?" Hale asked.

Evony made her impatience known immediately, "Go! You'll see when you get there. It's a large patch of land with trees on either side of a runway with a military camouflage net draped above them."

"Damn. You thought of everything." Hale replied, pulling on his coat and grabbing the two large orange directional flashlights.

The women pulled on their coats and gloves, then headed out the door to join Lauren who was already running towards Hale. They watched as the pair headed off towards the rear of the barn. They waited in front, watching as the Naval Aviator directed the cargo plane to the ground. It took two passes, but the large aircraft finally lined it up and brought her in.

"That's a crap ton of plane." Tamsin said.

Kenzi mumbled, "I'll never understand how that much machine gets airborne."

Tamsin snarked her reply, "Well, I'm sure the Doc could explain it to you. As a matter of fact, I'm sure if she was anywhere in earshot of that comment, she would absolutely launch into a twenty minute lecture on aerodynamics and lift physics."

The pair laughed as they watched the large plane disappear from view, partially behind the barn and partially into the grove of trees.

"It's like this place was built for this very mission. I'd really love to know why Evony has all of these barns and runways on this property. I mean, is this some sort of Fed safe house or something?"

Tamsin shrugged, "You're the one that works intelligence. How can you not know about this place?"

"I'm military intelligence. There's a diff, but I wouldn't mind having a place like this. I could start my jet collection."

"Excuse me? Jet collection?" Tamsin asked.

Kenzi nodded, "Yup. I've dreamed of having a full size jet collection ever since I was a kid and my Mom made me give my plastic jet collection to the little boy down the street. She said I was flying the real thing, so there was no need for the toy version. I needed room for my uniforms, desk and real life stuff."

"Wow. I have a plastic jet collection at my place. I keep it in a display cabinet." Tamsin replied.

"You see? I knew I was being ripped off in my childhood! My Mom never liked that Bo and I went into the military. It was like she was trying to make sure I had no planes around me because..."

"Kenzi!" Tamsin replied, "Stop talking!"

Kenzi stopped her rant and looked at where Tamsin was pointing, barely hearing the blonde as she spoke, "Bo's not with them. She's not with them, Kenzi."

The young raven-haired girl took off running at the men in Naval uniforms, "Where is she! Where is Bo! Where is my sister!"

They all watched as Kenzi pounded on General Walker's chest, tears springing from her eyes and running down her face. Everyone looked up as a fighter jet buzzed the ground and circled around. It felt like forever until it landed and followed Hale's direction into the larger barn.

"Is that Bo?" Kenzi asked, releasing the General and running towards the barn, "Is that Bo?" She turned looking at the group now behind her, "Someone tell me if that's my sister!"

Evony looked at the General who shook his head, "I think that's Manes and Admiral Burke."

"Wh-what? But... but where is Bo?"

All eyes turned towards the barn and watched as Kenzi dropped to her knees when she saw two men emerge, "Where. Is. My. Sister!"

She stood and ran at Manes, pushing him back onto the ground and standing over him, her finger wagging threateningly at him,

"Where is Bo! Where is she!"

Manes stood, his eyes surveying the crowd before they landed again on Kenzi, "We don't know. They didn't make the rendez-vouz point in Idaho."

"Idaho?" Kenzi shook her head, her hands exploding outward from her head, "What the fuck is in Idaho!"

Manes hung his head, "It was Bo's plan, Kenzi. We followed Bo's plan. If she wasn't in Idaho by 1400 hours, we were to go fishing."

Kenzi looked at her watch, "It's 0100 now. It doesn't take this long to fly here from Idaho!"

Manes looked at the Generals then back at Kenzi, "We ignored her order. Stevie and I took a couple of F-16's up from the landing field. The Generals used their contacts to schedule maintenance flights so we could have a look around and..."

His eyes scanned the faces of the group before landing back on Kenzi who was impatiently awaiting the rest of his sentence,

"And? And?" She asked.

"There was wreckage off the Northern coast of the Aleutian Islands on the Bering Sea. We couldn't go in, Kenzi. We flew a reconnaissance plane back out there and found out the Russians were combing the area. If they survived, it's likely the Russians have them."

Kenzi dropped to her knees again, her head bowed low as everyone watched her begin to sob. Quietly, Lauren stood behind her and watched, her heart ripping apart in her chest at the pain Bo's family was suffering at her Father's hands. This wasn't going to happen. There was no way this was going to happen.

She took off running back to the house. She was a genius and it was time she put her mind to use. She was done pouting. She was done defending. She was done allowing her Father's plan continue to cause harm to people she cared about. It was time to be the woman who created a multi-million dollar company against all of the naysayers... against all of the men who said no one would ever buy planes built by a woman. She was done.

 _ **Meanwhile... somewhere in the Aleutian Islands...**_

"Sarah, I need you to wake up. I can't carry you off of this boat and it's only a matter of time until we're found. The radio said there's a military build up here. The Russians have been in our waters twice that I know of and it has got to be because they found pieces of our plane. So, you see? I need you to wake up before our military finds us and we have to explain why we went AWOL in a stolen fighter jet. They've got to notice that all of us are missing by now, Sarah. We've got to go."

Bo looked around the engine room of the fishing boat she had dragged Sarah onto. She'd decided that staying in the galley or bunkrooms would leave them too exposed, so she'd moved here. Settling back against the hull of the ship, Bo stroked the blonde hair of the pilot trying to sooth her clearly restless sleep. This boat and this room had been her refuge since the day after the crash. The water had been incredibly cold and they had struggled to get free of their chutes, but had eventually done so. They only had minutes to get moving or they would die of hypothermia, so Bo had tried to get Sarah to start swimming, but she had refused.

It took about thirty seconds for Bo to understand what the pilot had been trying to tell her. When she finally understood, she pulled a small inflatable raft from the strap of Sarah's chute harness. Pulling the tab, it opened quickly and – with some difficulty – Bo got them both onto the raft. Side by side, they began the long paddle to shore. With the help of the current, they'd made landfall on the rocky coastline where there were many fishing boats tied up.

They arrived with Sarah conscious, but disoriented. Bo knew she had at least a concussion since there was blood coming from her ear, but knew the hypothermia was making clear thinking difficult at best. Still, Bo managed to push through and help Sarah board the first fishing boat they'd come across.

Once on board, they immediately stripped out of their wet uniforms and wrapped themselves in the emergency blankets they'd found on board. Sarah was conscious enough to make some flirty comments, but they were both too cold to do anything other than share body heat. It was a small ship, but it had a galley with a small bed where they laid to warm up and take a quick nap. When Bo came to, Sarah was still out, so she started the routine of waking the pilot every two hours. When she wasn't checking on her companion, Bo was monitoring radio transmissions in the area using the boat two-way radio.

Communications were helpful, letting Bo know that fishermen in the area had seen the plane go down and had, naturally, notified the Coast Guard. Once the message went out over the airwaves, the rush of activity began. The Navy was brought in and eventually they were chasing Russians out of U.S. territory.

More than once, Bo had hoped it was friends of Kenzi's from Moscow that were trying to get to them, but to reach out to the neighbors across the sea could be misconstrued as treason if she were caught. So, she'd holed up here with her injured pilot and waited. She'd found canned goods in the galley to eat, heating them up to share with Sarah whenever she was awake. After she'd eat, she would mumble incoherently and pass out again. All Bo could do was hope that there was nothing seriously wrong with her brain.

She didn't allow herself to get too comfortable on any one boat. There were patrols coming around and checking the ships and it was only a matter of time until they identified their plane and began looking for survivors or bodies... or both. So, they were now on their third boat. This boat was a huge fishing boat. Sarah was still conscious when they'd boarded, making a comment about the Captain of this boat being Keith somebody or other from a TV show. Bo had no idea what she was talking about but decided that if Sarah was right – and they made it out of this alive - she would have to send a thank you note to the captain.

Bo turned quickly, picking up a wrench that was lying next to the boat engine and holding it above her head before she was blinded by a flashlight in her eyes. She held up her hand to block the light and saw a husky bald man standing in the doorway,

"Uh... you'd better have a damn good reason for being on my boat!"

Bo stuttered, "Uh... I... uh..."

"You're military?" He asked.

"I... I... was... my friend... she's hurt and..."

"I'll call for help." He began to turn, but Bo snapped to her senses and called out to him,

"NO! NO! Please, you can't! We were on a top-secret mission. Someone will... look..." She put down the wrench and held both of her hands out to the man, "I can't tell you all of the details, but please... they can't know we're here. No one can."

"Listen, Kid."

"It's Colonel, actually."

"Colonel, huh? Look. I support the military with my whole heart and soul, but right now it's looking a lot to me like the two of you were up to no good."

"Actually, we were up to a lot of good. Real, real good."

The man shook his head, leading Bo to believe she was not going to convince this man to stay quiet about her presence on his ship.

"Stick... tell him." Came a raspy voice from behind the Colonel.

She turned to see Sarah trying to sit up, "Fury, stay down."

She shook her head, "I've been down for days. My mouth is like cotton, but my head feels much better."

Bo gave a sigh of relief as she turned to the man, "She has a bad concussion."

He stood nodding his head, "So you two were in that crash?"

Bo clenched her jaw and put on her best poker face, "You know about the crash?"

He chuckled, "Sweetheart, everyone knows about the Navy jet that went down in the Bering Sea not more than five miles off of the northern coast of our island chain here. The big question that everyone has is why are the Russians so interested in our jet, who was in the jet and what was its mission."

Bo turned to Sarah who shook her head, "You know all of that?" Bo asked.

"I've been monitoring the radio for days." He said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Tell him, Stick. He's a patriot. I can tell." Sarah said.

Bo turned to the Captain and considered him for a long moment before she spoke, "So, do you want to hear a bedtime story before you tell anyone we're here?"

The man smiled and nodded, "Let's get you two something to eat."

He turned and left the room while Bo turned back to Sarah, "Can you get up?"

"I'll be there. Let me just take it slow. You go. I don't want him getting on the radio while we're not with him. Don't leave him alone yet, Bo. We have to know we can trust him first."

"You honestly don't think he's a plant sent by Top?" Bo asked.

"You really don't know who he is?" Sarah asked, surprised.

"You mean what you said about TV..." Bo began,

"Stick, he's like a really famous reality TV star! _Deadliest Catch_ is one of the best shows ever!" Sarah replied.

Bo laughed, "It figures a Navy girl would be into a fishing show."

"The sea is my life." She replied with a smile, "With a little bit of sky mixed in."

Bo smiled, "And the sky is mine, with a little bit of sea mixed in."

Sarah nodded, "So we're total opposites I guess."

"I guess." Bo replied.

"Ever hear the phrase opposites attract?" Sarah chuckled.

Bo shook her head, "You must be better."

"What makes you say that?" Sarah asked.

"Your flirt game is back." Bo replied.

Sarah laughed, "I do have game, right? Nice of you to notice."

Bo nodded, "I'm going to go stalk the TV Star. On your feet, Captain Hanes."

"Aye, Colonel."

"I'm Air Force. You say Ma'am, yes Ma'am."

"Ah, but we're on a boat, so it's Navy appropriate to say Aye."

"Okay, you win. Hurry up." Bo replied, heading up the stairway to the galley to which Sarah called,

"Nice bootie."

Bo rolled her eyes. This woman was going to be a challenge, to say the least.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **The Galley of The Wizard, Crab Fishing Boat, Dutch Harbor, Aleutian Islands, AK...**_

Bo had just finished telling the captain the entire story of how they came to be on his boat... her entire life story. She started with just the mission details, but somehow this man had made her feel so comfortable that she ended up sharing everything with him. Her military background just seemed to fall away and she was giving up information about her personal life against her better judgment.

Sarah had come in about halfway through the conversation and said nothing. Bo figured if she was stepping too far into top-secret territory, the Naval Aviator would have stopped her, but she didn't.

"So, you're telling me that you were on your way to meet up with the people who are helping to bring your Father's killers to justice?"

Bo nodded, "We are, but even if we had died, the case would have moved forward as long as all of them made it to the rally point."

"But if we get captured, Top will know what we're up to and be able to cover their tracks."

"What is Top?" The captain asked.

The pair looked at each other before Sarah replied, "The big bosses is probably the best way to explain that one."

"Okay, so how can I help?"

Bo's eyes went wide, "You want to help?"

"Look, I've gone through some family stuff and I know from my daughter's experience that not having your Dad around sucks. I can't imagine what you and your sister have been through, but if I can help you get some closure here... well, it's the right thing to do."

"Wow. That's really... that's amazing. Thank you." Bo replied.

The Captain nodded, "We're due to shove off to do a transfer job south of Dutch Harbor tomorrow. My guys should all be coming on board within the next hour."

"Shit." Bo said, standing up, but the Captain put his hand over hers,

"There's only two guys coming on board and I trust them both with my life. Besides, once they're on board, they won't have access to the radio. I'm the only one who will be in the wheelhouse other than my brother and I can already tell you that my brother will be on board with this."

"Okay, so what's to keep the Coast Guard from searching your ship?" Bo asked.

"Nothing, but they won't find any military personnel on board."

"Uh... we're right here, Captain." Sarah replied.

"Young lady, all I see are two fishermen giving me a full complement of four crew and two Captains." He smiled, "We're short handed. I just got a call from my brother before I came on board. You two work out nicely and the best part is that we're going south so there's no passports or identification needed. I can drop you off in a port somewhere in Washington State where you'll quit your job in dramatic fashion because someone isn't treating you as an equal aboard this boat... which, by the way, won't actually be a problem at all. Not on this boat."

Bo and Sarah smiled giving the Captain a nod before Bo replied, "Fury, this is the man who should have come up with the plan for this mission. Had I known he was here, I would have taken a vacation day, hopped a commercial flight to Alaska and then taken an Uber or Lyft to his boat."

Everyone laughed as the Captain replied, "I do have so much wasted talent." He stood, clapping his hands, "Okay then, let's get you ladies into some of my daughter's spare clothes. We're going to have to stow those uniforms somewhere invisible."

Bo and Sarah followed, all smiles knowing that they may just make it out of this bad situation after all.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Manes stood by the window, staring out across the farmland, his eyes landing on the two women who had taken to sitting out under the lone tree on a daily basis. He turned when he heard Tamsin's voice,

"Hey, Machine Man. Those two still sitting out there like characters out of Frozen?"

Manes laughed, "Yup. They only come in for meals, personal hygiene and sleep."

"It was just Lauren before you guys got here. It seems she's been a bad influence on Kenzi."

"Can you blame her?" Manes asked.

Tamsin shoved her hands in her pockets, "Nah. I can't blame either of them. Lauren thinks Bo 's dead because of her and Kenzi thinks she has no family anymore."

Manes nodded, looking back out across the frozen landscape.

"Manes, I've gotta know. What are the chances she's alive and who was piloting the damn plane?"

"The pilot is one of the best Naval Aviators I've ever known, Rage. She guys would have accepted her as one of your own. Hale knew her and flew with her when they were at Top Gun."

"She flew at Air Force wannabe school, too?"

Manes shook his head, "Nice, Rage."

"I thought you'd like that one. Okay, so she's a great pilot. So where are they?" Tamsin asked.

"Actually, the General just told me that Lambert picked up some chatter from his fisherman buddies. A jet went down over the Bering Sea just north of the Aleutian Islands."

Tamsin's eyes went wide, "You mean out where they film _Deadliest Catch_?"

"One and the same." Manes said.

"What the hell would they have been doing there? They were supposed to fly into Canadian Airspace where the General had arranged clearance. Are we sure it was Bo's jet?" Tamsin replied.

"That's affirmative. They were late and the shift at the tower had changed. Because our people were no longer in place, the authorization codes came through on an open channel to people who didn't know about the codes. While they were scrambling to figure out what was happening with our plane, three Russian MIGs moved in to intercept them when they veered out of Canadian Airspace."

The pair turned to listen to General Walker's explanation, but both ended up shaking their heads. It was Tamsin who spoke up first,

"But if they veered off to the west, they would still have been in U.S. airspace. How did the Russians..."

"Remember, we intentionally made sure there were no U.S. planes in that vicinity." He replied.

Tamsin nodded, "They had no backup."

Manes added, "Because we couldn't trust the backup and getting all of those clearances for jets to back up a mission that didn't exist would have been a red tape nightmare."

The General slipped his hands into his pockets and nodded as Tamsin asked,

"How did the Russians know they were there? Are we adding treason to the list of offenses committed by the Secretary and his goons?"

The General shrugged, "I was going to ask Kenzi to look into that one. I can't trust anyone else in Military Intelligence since they report directly to the Secretary."

There was still one question on Tamsin's mind but she was afraid to ask. Luckily, Manes jumped in and asked the question for her,

"Have they found anything?"

The General sighed, removing one hand from his pocket and rubbing the back of his neck, "Only wreckage and MIGs running close surveillance close to the border. I don't think I've ever seen so many Coast Guard and Naval vessels gathered in one small stretch of ocean. Tensions are high, so if they're alive, they're well hidden."

Tamsin hesitated for a moment before she spoke, "Do you have a map of that area?"

The General nodded, "On the conference room table. They've been gathered around the map trying to narrow down the search area since they haven't found any bodies."

"Maybe they ejected?" Tamsin suggested.

Evony and Ryan interrupted their conversation, entering the room with a man in tow, "So, can one of you morons explain to me how this guy shows up at my farm? A farm, by the way, that doesn't exist on any map! He just shows up and says he's here for Doctor Lauren Lewis. I can't imagine how he would know Lauren is on an invisible island in the middle of the iciest state in the country! Can you imagine?" Her eyes surveyed the room, "Any of you?"

General Walker spoke first, ignoring Evony, "Mr. Cambridge. It's good to see you. How did you find us?"

He looked at the General, ignoring the grip the two agents had on his arms, "Well, Doctor Lewis does own a high tech security company, an aeronautical engineering company that has high value contracts with the military and a biomedical engineering division that also has high value contracts with the veterans administration among other military installations. If you don't mind my saying, we do high security communications better than anyone else... and I do mean anyone else... even your FBI and CIA, Miss Marquise."

"I beg your pardon..." She began, but the General gave her a warning glare,

"Evony..."

Evony rolled her eyes and released the man, signaling Ryan to do the same.

"So, I take it Doctor Lewis contacted you somehow?" The General asked.

"Yes."

Evony shook her head, "I said NO communications! Now they're going to find us!"

Cambridge smoothed his jacket, adjusted his shirt sleeves, and then straightened his tie before placing one hand in his pants pocket, "I assure you, Madam, I was not tracked to this property nor have my communications with Doctor Lewis been compromised in any way."

"You've spoken more than once? You've actually talked? There's no way that was not picked up!" Evony insisted as Ryan stepped up behind her shoulder in a show of strength and support.

Kenzi and Lauren entered the house, stomping their feet to rid their boots of snow. They stripped their coats off and hung them on the coat rack before walking into the next room to find the rather tense group gathered around the company's new COO. Lauren spoke first,

"Martin. I'm so glad you made it here safely. Did you make contact?" Lauren asked, placing a kiss on his left cheek and then his right while ignoring Evony completely.

The man looked at Evony waiting for her to continue, but instead heard from Kenzi instead,

"Yo, Marty. Cat got your tongue? The Doc asked you a question."

He nodded to the petite woman, "I'm sorry, Agent Malikov. I was in the middle of being reprimanded so was unsure as to who I should address first."

"Reprimanded? By who?"

Evony spoke up, "It's by whom and it was me. You knew about the Doctor compromising our cover? Our entire mission? This is treason, Agent Malikov! You intentionally brought a foreign government into a Federal investigation and..."

Kenzi shook her head, raising a finger in the air, "Oh, shut it, Evony! This is a rogue investigation at best and I wasn't working with the Russian government. I was working with my personal friends... cousins, actually! My last name is Malikov, got it? Our Mother was Russian and we have family there. As for the good Doctor here, she was taking action while you sat by filing your nails and thumbing through the same old reports day after day for weeks! All that time, we've been forced to sit here and twiddle our thumbs while you gave us little to no information."

"I..."

"You nothing! We are military people. This case is a military matter. We have jurisdiction, so we took jurisdiction back! Why? Because I don't trust you, Lady." She turned to Ryan, "And you already know I trust you even less."

Lauren spoke up, trying to refocus the conversation to what was happening with Bo and her pilot, "Martin, please... sit."

She gave Kenzi glance, placing a hand on her chest and taking a deep breath before giving her a nod to do the same. The younger agent turned away from Evony, took a deep breath and found a seat on the chair next to the sofa. Lauren sat on the end of the sofa next to Kenzi and motioned for Martin to sit beside her. She paused, allowing everyone else in the room to find a seat before looking at Evony and Ryan for a long moment. The woman huffed and moved into the doorway, folding her arms over her chest and letting out a frustrated sigh.

Lauren calmly turned to Martin and asked, "What other news do you have?"

Martin Cambridge was not one for public information sessions, but when Doctor Lewis asked, he always delivered. He held her in high esteem and had grown fond of Agent Malikov's quirky spirit since working with her. Of course, it was also the Agent who had made him the COO.

"I made contact with Agent Malikov's friends in Moscow and passed on the story you asked me to give to them."

"You told the Russians about the betrayal of our top brass?!" Evony interjected, coming to stand in front of the executive.

Martin's eyes fell on a large bulging vein that was protruding from the brunette's forehead. It was a sure sign that she was very, very angry. If she had just waited another minute or so, he would have explained the story, but now he was certain that...

"Evony, for the last time, will you please shut it! Of course she didn't have him give the real story! If you add up the IQ of every person in the room, hers is twice that, so please don't insult her intelligence again or I'll have to start questioning yours." She finished before adding, "Which, by the way, I already do! Please Martin, continue."

And there it was. He knew that Kenzi would jump in after Evony's outburst. This was actually sort of fun... and it was nice to see the woman who had put her hands on him earlier get a little payback. Still, he would retain his dignity and not stoop to the level of the angry woman. Instead, he would do his job. He spoke,

"Well, let's see... where was I then. Right... I gave your friends the story that you told me to give them and they, in turn, sent up three Russian MIGs to try to attempt to salvage our mission by intercepting Bo's plane. They were able to use their back channels to get their jets airborne, but when they found them, they realized very quickly that your sister's plane was communicating with the Canadians on an open frequency rather than the closed channel they had planned on, so..."

Kenzi finished, "...they couldn't communicate with the pilot without risking Russian intelligence intercepting their message and they would love nothing more than to take down an American plane. So what did they do?"

Martin replied, "They said they had a fishing barge waiting to transport them, but they were short on time to make the rally point. They had to try something, so they decided the course of action would be to redirect them towards the Arctic peninsula using hand signals and a tight formation around them, but..."

"The pilot took evasive maneuvers, worried they had strayed into Russian airspace and were under attack." Tamsin said flatly, tossing a handful of peanuts into her mouth, "Ridiculous idea. Hand signals are really hard to see going almost Mach 3 let alone in the dark."

"Shit. What were they thinking?" Kenzi replied.

"Yup." Tamsin acknowledged.

Martin continued, "Things went from bad to worse after that. Bo's pilot got a missile lock on one of the planes, so they all backed off before giving it one last try using taillights. Unfortunately, when they tried to re-enter formation to signal them, the lead plane got too close and their jet wash put our plane into a flat spin."

"Double shit!" Kenzi said, her face covered in worry.

"The Russian pilots saw two chutes deploy. One was tangled, but was eventually cut away and the backup chute definitely deployed before ground. They noticed a yellow raft in the area where the chutes entered the water. Is there any chance..."

"Nice work, Manes!" Tamsin smiled, slapping the man on the back, as she looked up at the room, "That raft was this guys' idea. We stopped at the Park 'n Shop to get me a smoothie and this guy saw one of those doublewide pool rafts on sale. He said the idea just hit him. He bought it, took it back to the hangar and attached it to my chute. He's been giving them to pilots on carriers or those scheduled to fly over water ever since. He folds the raft into a small rectangle before attaching it to the inside strap of the pilot's chute. It's actually ingenious!" She said, slapping him on the back so hard that he spit out the water he was drinking, "Sorry. But seriously? A totally Lewis move. She's rubbing off on you, Manes!"

Kenzi asked, "So you're saying you think they were alive when they hit the water?"

Cambridge nodded, "Definitely. Something made it to the raft. From there, it became difficult to see so they're not completely sure they made landfall. What they know is that if they did, they have nothing electronic for them to track and of course, ejection landings are always high risk for injury. They're sure that at least one of them had a hard landing with that chute opening so low to the water. They're not sure which occupant that was. Anyway, If one or both are hurt, they'll likely take refuge somewhere along the coast. There's a lot of fishing boats, but that would be risky, since they could be found, so maybe the lighthouse or a rocky outcrop? They're just not sure, so they have to go in.

"So what's the plan?" Lauren asked.

"They've hopped a commercial flight to Seattle and rented a small plane with the fake driver and pilot ID's I arranged for them." Martin explained, "They're also going to pick up a burner phone, make one call so that our tech department can track their start point and their planned route and then they'll be radio silent again."

Lauren look at Kenzi, then back at Martin, "So when are you expecting a call from them?"

Everyone looked at him in anticipation before he replied, "In about three hours."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you for not saying in about a week!" Kenzi replied.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Local Bar, Aleutian Islands**_

"What can I get for you gentlemen?" The barmaid asked the three strangers who took a seat at her bar.

"We're hoping to find some work on a boat. Do you have any leads?" The man said, trying his best to use an accent that passed as American.

The woman shrugged, "You fellas Russian?"

The man nodded and smiled, "We live in America, but yes, we were born in Russia. Is that a problem?"

The woman shrugged again, "Depends. You illegals? Cause illegals would cause hella problems for our boat captains with all of the Coasties out there checking boats. Those guys save our guys, so we don't do anything that's going to make an enemy out of the Guard."

The man flipped open his wallet and pulled out his identification and showed it to the woman while the three others did the same. The first man also pulled thirty dollars out of the billfold and tossed it on the bar,

"That's for three beers – whatever you have on tap - or a lead on a job for us – we'll take either or both, whatever mood hits you."

The barmaid smiled, "Well, you may have an accent, but you're definitely speaking American with that move. You want to talk to that guy over there. Name's Monte."

She placed three cold beers on the counter and nodded behind them, "Good luck."

"Thank you, Ma'am."

"You're welcome." She replied, wiping down the bar top and watching as the three men walked over to join the boat captain.

"May I help you, gentlemen?" Monte asked.

"The bartender tells us you may have fishing work for us?"

Monte lowered his eyes to his phone and then looked back up at the men, "Actually, that would work out really well for us. We've picked up two workers, but they can only temp for us for part of the trip. You would fill their spots when they have to get off. If you don't mind a few hours being for half pay, you have a deal."

"Sounds great." They replied.

"The boat is out on the dock. Look for the Wizard and my brother Keith will get you set up. I've got a few more things to pick up. We leave the dock in two hours... sharp. Don't be late or you will get an ass rippin' like you've never had in your life. My brother's got quite the temper."

"We'll be there, Captain."

"See you then." He replied, "Hey. Before you go, mind if I see some ID?"

The men turned back and all flashed their ID's. Monte nodded, "Got any references?"

The head of the group laughed, "The bartender? The rest of our references were left behind in Russia. We could swim over to pick them up, but..."

"Very funny. Very funny. Get on your way. I'll see you at the boat."

The group parted ways, the three men mumbling something about getting to a grocery store before launch.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Farmhouse, Remote Area of Alaska**_

The whole group had just finished dinner... grilled cheese... again... and were again listening to the depositions that Evony had recorded when the burner phone in Martin's possession rang. He quickly stood and moved from the noise of the table to the adjoining room to take the call. Naturally, Lauren, Kenzi and Tamsin followed behind, trying to catch any part of the conversation they were able. Unfortunately, beyond hello, there was nothing said on his end. He hung up, pried open the phone, pulled out the electronics then smashed the phone.

He turned to find the three women standing before him. He smiled as he explained,

"So, that was my therapist. She said I'm crazy for going fishing in Alaska at this time of year..."

Kenzi threw a carrot at the man's head. He dodged it and smiled as he spoke,

"Sorry. You all just looked like a laugh was needed."

"Speak!" Kenzi replied, "Or your raise is gone!"

"Right." He said, getting serious, "Kenzi's friends have met up with a certain boat Captain who claims to have information about the American plane that crashed. The Captain is reluctant to share information with people who are Russian without references, but he has agreed to share the information if they can prove that they are who they say they are... friends of the occupants and their family."

"So... no verification that they're alive? Just information about the plane and what... notification of next of kin?" Kenzi asked.

"I'm sorry, Agent Malikov. I have no further information. As I mentioned, they had to keep their message brief to be sure it would not be tracked. The call timed out to exactly thirty-one seconds. I would have preferred they'd kept it under thirty."

Kenzi nodded, "I understand. So, can you tell me if their voices at least sounded hopeful?"

He shrugged, "I would say it leaned towards optimistic."

Lauren gave the man a soft smile, "Thank you, Martin. Thank you very, very much."

He nodded, "You're welcome, Doctor Lewis."

"Thank you, Martin." Kenzi added, "I don't know how I could possibly thank you enough for all you have done – no matter the outcome."

"Well, you could give me a raise... boss." He laughed.

"Done!" Kenzi replied with a smile.

"Hey!" Lauren argued.

"What? He may have just saved my sister's life... well... at least gotten a step closer to getting her back for us, anyway. That's totally deserving of a raise, especially all of the super high tech stuff he's had to do." Kenzi reminded.

"Okay, fine." Lauren relented, "We'll discuss it at a later time, okay?"

Martin and Kenzi fist-bumped which Lauren had to laugh at. Her assistant was a very sophisticated man, so seeing him engage in such a simple act was amusing. She turned to Evony,

"I certainly hope that if they do find Bo and we are able to bring her home that it meets with your approval despite the fact that you did not seem able to do so. It seems strange to me that you were unwilling to take the steps that we were to get her here. I mean – you're the FBI... don't you 'always get your man'? Of course, we are all very well aware of the fact that her testimony is unnecessary with the other pieces of testimony you now have from the Airman and the Generals, but still, you would think that you would want an accomplished and heroic Air Force Colonel who has served her country and put her life on the line again and again for others to be alive in the end. I mean, she is your client and I would think you would want a win."

Evony snarked, "My client is the United States government. Like it or not, if she is found alive and well, then there is no case for her. She's lucky they don't charge her for treason for all she has done in recent weeks. As for her Dad, Jack Dennis died in the performance of his military duties, so no case could be brought against the government for his death."

"Not true." General Walker objected, "It was a wrongful death committed by his superior officers. You are absolutely suing on behalf of the Dennis family. I will have it no other way. As for the charge of treason, is it your plan to charge all of us as such? If so, I believe we will all be mentioning that you harbored us... the fugitives... from justice."

Kenzi looked at Hale, "Or, like I told you... one gigantic round up?"

"Worst one ever if that's the case 'lil Mamma." He laughed, "I'd have to agree with the General, particularly after we prove that what we did was for our country."

Evony huffed and left the room with Ryan following close behind. Tamsin laughed,

"He's like a puppy with her. Does he ever think for himself?"

"Only when she's not holding his balls in her hand." Kenzi replied causing laughter throughout the room.

The mood was finally light and as Lauren looked at all of the faces of Bo's family and friends, she couldn't help but feel lighter as well. Despite having no definitive proof that the pilot would be in their company again, didn't matter. There was an optimism that Lauren had never experienced before and for the first time in her life, she was truly looking forward to what may come tomorrow.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Five Days Later – The Farmhouse, Alaska**_

"Hey, Doc."

"Hey, Kenzi."

The brunette sat down on the small bench that Hale and the General had built for the spot that the pair had taken to sitting in for the past weeks. They shared a long period of silence, looking up at the stars in the night sky before Kenzi spoke,

"I miss her."

Lauren smiled, "I know you do, but you have to keep believing, Kenzi. She won't leave you alone. I'm sure of it."

"You've been scary optimistic lately. What changed?"

Lauren pushed her hands deeper into her pockets and shrugged, "I'm not sure. I just feel like she'll be back... like she has to be back. Besides, she can't very well invite all of us on this fishing trip and not show up."

Kenzi chuckled, "You do know the fishing trip is just a code name for this mission, right?"

Lauren smiled, "I do. But I still feel like she'll be back."

Kenzi nodded, a smile stretching across her face, "You've got unfinished business with my lady loving sister, don't you, Doc?"

"Uh... I..." Lauren smiled, "It's not like that... I mean... it's..."

"You lurve her."

Lauren scowled, "Of course not. I barely know her."

"Yea, but you were starting to and there was a spark there. I saw it."

"I guess, but it's strange. I mean, every single time you tell me you miss her, I feel the need to say the same thing. How can I miss someone I barely know?"

"Absence makes the heart grow stronger? Opposites attract? Unfinished business? All of those apply to you and my big sister." Kenzi said.

Lauren gave a single nod, but said nothing else. She just stared at the sky, her mind drifting to what it would be like to be up there. It would have been cool to create a fighter jet that could actually make the transition into space. Maybe some day her company would do just that, but if it did, she would be starting from scratch and building it the way she'd built everything – with her own research, her own design and her own people.

She saw the North Star and smiled. She followed it to see the full outline of the Big Dipper and smiled again. Next, she saw a small, bright, fast moving light in the sky and chuckled... that was a satellite. She had always thought the sky was an amazing place. Why had she never chosen to be up there? Why had she chosen to watch if from a distance? She admired Bo's choice. The pilot had told her that flying at night was her favorite time to fly – surrounded by the peace and quiet of the stars.

Everyone had been asking her why she had been sitting out here all of these weeks, but the truth was... she felt closer to Bo out here. Their connection was through the sky – night or day – they both loved the sky. It was their home. She hoped that Kenzi was starting to get that since she had taken to sitting out here with her, but maybe it was different for her. The younger sister had been a pilot, so maybe her thoughts were related to her time flying. Regardless, it was nice to have the company of Bo's sister. It was even nicer not to be inside with Evony and Ryan. She was not comfortable around them... as a matter of fact, she was downright uncomfortable around the pair and her Mom had always told her to follow her gut when it came to people.

A quick flash of a red light in the sky caught the blonde's attention, "Kenzi? Did you see that?"

Kenzi stood, "Short... short... long... short..."

Lauren looked at the younger woman, "Kenz..."

Lauren didn't have a choice but to stop speaking when Kenzi smashed her hand against her mouth. Lauren rolled her eyes and she watched Kenzi stare at the sky mouthing short and long while the plane made tight circles overhead. Lauren strained to see the type of plane, but it was too dark. Finally, Kenzi spoke something other than the two words she'd been saying seemingly in random order,

"Incoming. Ohmagosh! It says incoming! That was Morse Code and it said incoming!"

She jumped up and down, pulling Lauren to her feet, but the blonde stopped her, "Kenzi, what is incoming and where is it coming from?"

The brunette stopped, "Uh... I don't know. I mean, I assumed Bo, right? My Dad made us learn Morse Code when we were kids just in case we were ever in trouble and needed it."

"Or we're caught and it's a bomb or agents or the military Generals we're trying to put behind bars?"

"Shit, you're right. Come on." Kenzi gripped Lauren's hand and ran for the barn, "We can hide in here until we know for sure."

The pair ducked down behind some hay bales that were just outside the barn and waited... and waited... and waited... until finally, a snow machine appeared from the woods behind them. They quickly spun around the other side of the bales and hid once again until it the two riders passed them by, parking the snow vehicle on the side of the barn. They pulled rolled up parachutes from the seat between them and dismounted the vehicle. It was then that Kenzi recognized the movements of her sister.

"BO!"

The rider stopped and pulled up her face shield, squinting into the darkness, "Kenzi? Oh, Kenzi!"

Bo dropped her chute, pausing for a moment before the two sisters ran towards each other and spun around in a tight hug before pulling back,

"You're okay? You're really okay?" Kenzi asked, looking at her sister.

"Still recovering from broken ribs and a bruised liver from when you last saw me, but much better."

"So, this is the little sister?" Came a voice from behind Bo.

Bo reached out and took Sarah's hand, pulling her towards Kenzi, "'Lil sis, this is Sarah Hanes, my pilot."

"Crashed and burned, huh?" Kenzi snarked.

"Your Russian friend cut me off and choked my engine out with his jet wash, so yea... flat spin, ejection, crash and burn, so yes, your sister is alive. You're welcome."

Bo slapped Kenzi on the shoulder, "I couldn't have recovered from that one either, Kenz. The lead fighter jet... Anton Koravski, I think... cut in way too close. It sucked. Ejection sucked. Cold air jump sucked. Her chute didn't open sucked. The water sucked. Fucking arctic ice water really sucked... of course, that chute raft that Manes invented definitely didn't suck... but being cold everywhere definitely sucked."

Sarah slapped Bo's ass, "We kept each other warm. Body heat does wonders."

Kenzi rolled her eyes at the woman, "Damn, Sis... you're lucky to be alive."

"Yea, but thanks to Manes and that little raft invention of his, we're alive. You're not going to believe where we've been."

"Well, you can tell me all about it when we get inside where it's warm. Our peeps are gonna be glad to see you." Kenzi replied, seeing her sister shivering.

"Can't wait to meet the family." Sarah laughed, twirling Bo's hair around her finger.

The three turned and headed to the house, Bo explaining how Captain Keith had helped them as they walked and Kenzi replying how lucky she was to have been on any of the _Deadliest Catch_ ships. Behind them, Lauren retreated into the shadow of the barn before opening the door and slipping inside. She'd forgotten the biggest plane of her new fleet had been parked in here. Looking up at the Valkyrie... the only plane that she could call a true success in its remodel... she realized that this plane was a great accomplishment, but still it paled in comparison to what she felt just being in Bo's presence... except just now. Just now she felt a tug in her chest. A lone cold tear slid down her cheek as she thought of the interaction she had witnessed between Bo and her pilot friend. What was her name? Sarah?

Lauren sighed, finding a seat on a hay bale beneath the plane. Looking up she released a bigger sigh as she felt a heavy pang in her chest. She lay down on her back staring up at the mighty giant, her last thought of life and destiny. Maybe her greatest relationships would always be with machines. Maybe that was just how it was meant to be.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Inside Evony's Farmhouse...**_

The welcome back party was in full swing with the pilots popping open Evony's champagne whether she wanted them to or not. After a few toasts, they began to brief Bo on the progress they'd made in the case. It had been about two hours when she pulled Kenzi aside with a sense of urgency,

"Kenzi, where is Lauren? They keep mentioning the things that she's done, but she'd not here. Did something happen to her?"

Kenzi looked up and realized that she hadn't seen her since they'd been outside. Just as she went to speak, Sarah came walking up behind them, snaking an arm around Bo's waist. The younger sister glared at the hand, her eyes trailing up Bo's body to her eyes before she rolled her eyes and shook her head,

"Think we could have two minutes alone without the slinky hanging all over you?" Kenzi asked her sister, putting a hand on her hip.

Bo turned to Sarah, "Can you give us some space, please?"

"Aw, come on, Sis. Bo and I have shared everything the past week. There's nothing you can't say in front of me." Sarah replied.

"Uh... except personal sister to sister stuff." Kenzi replied, angrily.

"Kenzi..."

"No, Bo. You asked me a question and if you want an answer, we talk alone. Otherwise, go rejoin the party."

Kenzi slammed her drink down on the table and stomped off to the door, pulling on her coat so she could go look for the woman she had come to call friend over these past few weeks. Sure she was guessing, but she was pretty sure that the Doc had begun to fall for her sister. Bo had never been the commitment type, but she had never known her to be cruel with the heart of the women who had shown an interest in her. Of course, there was also the nagging feeling that Bo had seemed... different... around Lauren. Now she was throwing a one-night-stand in the Doc's face? Who the hell was this Sarah and why had Bo never mentioned her? They certainly didn't look like they had just met. She pulled open the door, but was spun around when it was slammed shut and held there by her sister's hand,

"Kenzi, please. Talk to me." Bo pleaded.

The younger sister shrugged, "We can talk outside. I'm not staying here with Peroxide Patty over there. She makes me wanna vom."

Bo rolled her eyes, "Kenzi, I'm not going back outside in the cold. I'm just getting warm again after being in the friggin' Bering Sea."

Kenzi turned and glared at her sister, "Well, then you should go back and let your latest piece of arm candy keep you warm. She's apparently all that matters now."

"What is that supposed to mean? Kenzi, we just went through some serious shit together. We almost died. She almost died. I'm not going to send her out into the cold, especially when it's dark out, to find her way home."

"So what? What you're doing is just showing hospitality?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact I am!" Bo replied, her voice raised.

Kenzi shook her head, laughing, "Well, I think the average show of hospitality is usually a hot meal, a roof over your head and a couch. Where's Miss Hospitality sleeping tonight, huh?"

"What does it matter where she sleeps? Sharing a bed doesn't have to mean anything more than sharing a bed."

"Wow. You're a real piece of work. Do you not remember what you told me before you left? Have you no idea what all of us went through the entire time you were missing? Have you not thought about what each of us might personally have invested in your absence and possible death? Why don't you try thinking with your head instead of your snatch. I'm going to go find Lauren." Kenzi opened the door,

"Oh, and just in case you're not aware, Lauren is the woman who has been sitting outside in the snow. Every. Single. Night - ever since you disappeared."

"Wh-what?" Bo asked.

Kenzi sighed, "Lauren was standing just behind me when you pulled up. Now she's not. Do the math," opening the door to leave, she added, "Idiot."

Bo watched as her sister left the house and slammed the door. She moved to the window and looked outside, not seeing anything but a single tree in the large yard. She looked to the right and saw her sister walking up to a woman in a ski cap. It was fairly dark out, but as Kenzi allowed the woman to walk away, she immediately recognized the stride. Her head was hung low, her hands pressed deep into her pockets. She stopped and shook her head as Kenzi moved towards her, hands moving rapidly as she spoke so loudly that Bo could hear the muffled sound through the window. But Lauren turned to face Kenzi, saying something in reply before putting both her hands up, her palms urging Bo's younger sister to stop whatever she was saying. She pressed her hands together again and shook her head before turning and walking away.

Kenzi stood still, watching Lauren away for a long moment. She pulled the collar of her coat up around her neck and then pushed her hands into her pockets before turning towards the window. She stared at Bo for a long moment before shaking her head and walking quickly towards the barn. Bo watched her for a moment before allowing her eyes to travel the path that Lauren had walked until she found her sitting on the bench beneath the lone tree.

The moon was dim and the sky was absolutely covered in stars. It was a beautiful sight. She watched her sister come into view once again, moving to settle next to Lauren. It was in that moment she saw just how close the pair had become in her absent. Her sister was not usually one to offer comfort to people. She was more the keep a stiff upper lip type, but Lauren was apparently the exception since she now sat next to her, an arm draped over the doctor's shoulder.

"Whoa. You didn't tell me your little sis was into the ladies." Came Sarah's voice from behind her.

"She's not." Bo snapped, annoyed that the pilot had showed up in that moment. Frankly, she was annoyed that she had not been the one flying the plane that night. There's no way she would have ever been in a flat spin if she had. She had lied to Sarah about that and lied to Kenzi to protect Sarah from her sister's wrath. Truth is, Bo wouldn't have engaged at that altitude. She would have waited until she knew more about their intentions, followed them down until she was certain they felt she was cooperating and then hit the thrusters and outrun them.

"Coulda fooled me." Sarah said, throwing an arm around Bo's shoulder.

Bo wanted to throw Sarah's arm off her shoulder and push her away, but she was distracted by the two women sitting together... or at least one of them. Her eyes focused on Lauren as memories of their night at the end of the runway lying in the grass came rushing back. Her mind wandered to the days before everything had fallen apart... their long talk in the shade of the trees just before Kenzi had landed and almost taken Lauren's head off.

As she looked at them now, she was happy to see they had apparently grown very close in her absence. She remembered the thoughts that had been ever-present in her mind when she took off on her mission to blow up the X-2. She had said some pretty harsh things to the engineer, but as usual, Lauren had taken them in stride, owning the blame despite the fact that she didn't deserve it.

While she had been on the carrier, all of that alone time had led to hours and hours of thoughts about the blonde... of the way her hair framed her face in the sun, how it blew back, exposing her long, slender neck in the breeze, how she'd rambled on about flight science when she was overcome by nerves in the cockpit on their flight together, how she'd been annoyingly obsessive about safety checks prior to the X-2 simulations and eventual flight to kill the plane and the program. The program. Bo had come to realize that everything the Doctor had done for her in recent weeks, meant destroying the very program that was supposed to put her company on the map. She could have finally earned the respect of the largely male-dominated field. Yes, Bo was very much aware that Lauren had sacrificed everything to expose the criminals who had killed her Father and prove once and for all that Jack Dennis was a good pilot who had done the job right.

"You didn't even know him." Bo whispered.

"What?" Sarah asked.

"Nothing." Bo replied, annoyed that the wrong blonde was still hanging on her shoulder.

Bo sighed as the realization hit her that Lauren would be giving up everything... her company, her job and quite possibly her freedom if they were caught before they could prove all that they suspected. She went all in with a group of total strangers. Bo sighed as her heart ached for how she had treated a woman who had offered so much of herself and gotten nothing but rejection in return. Suddenly, Bo was very much aware of Sarah's arms around her waist, the voice in her ear, and exactly how she felt about it.

"Come on, Bo. Let's go to bed. I miss you. It's been almost twenty-four hours since the hotel room."

Bo felt sick, "Sarah, what happened to no strings? Besides, if you remember correctly, not a whole lot happened in the hotel room, or on the boat, or in that cave."

"I'm not asking for strings. I'm asking for your hands... all over my body. We're not in any of those places anymore. You can relax and get comfortable." She breathed into Bo's ear causing the brunette to pull away. She turned to face the blonde,

"Sarah, I won't be comfortable. That's the point. I just... can't."

"What do you mean you can't?"

"I just... I can't. I just got here and my sister has been waiting for weeks to make sure I was okay. My friend Lauren hasn't even had a chance to talk to me. I need to go spend some time with them. I said no strings because I have none to offer. All of the people you've met here today? These are my strings... well, not all of them, but most of them. I have to go out and talk to them."

Bo moved to get her coat, but Sarah held fast,

"Out in the cold? Are you crazy? We just got out of the cold. You're barely recovered from hypothermia!" Sarah replied.

Bo laughed, "Well, they've made all sorts of sacrifices for me for weeks. It's time I gave back. Besides, we're back in civilization... somewhat. I know how to stay warm here."

Sarah chuckled, "So noble. It's quite the turn on. Meet me upstairs later?" She asked with a wink.

Bo shook her head, lowering her eyes, "No, Sarah."

"Okay then. Tomorrow night?" She asked.

"Sarah. No strings means, no expectations and no demands. Please... I can't do... whatever this is with you. I'm not yours and you're making me uncomfortable. This is my family. They don't know you and they don't know me with you. I am sure it's making them uncomfortable. I would like you to respect their feelings and my own. You have had your hands on me since we got here. It's too much."

"Well, you didn't seem to mind it the past week." Sarah replied, her hands falling to her hips.

Bo shook her head, "I think if you replay the events of the past week, you'll find that it was always you pushing me to be with you, despite me saying no. And yes, being wrapped in your arms was comforting... for both of us, but that's all it was."

"Well, we did have some great make out sessions." Sarah replied.

Bo nodded, "Sarah, we were in a high-adrenaline situation and anything that happened was about being near to death and being terrified. I'm clear-headed now and I'm saying no. We're not alone, worried and confused anymore. I know exactly who and where I am now."

"Right." Sarah replied, but she was clearly not okay with what Bo was saying, "Well, you go enjoy your sister and your friend. Maybe I'll just head out tomorrow and go see Tops."

"Seriously?" Bo asked, "Are you trying to blackmail me into sleeping with you?"

Sarah smirked, "Well, you've got to admit, I've got quite the suitcase full of baggage on you, not to mention all of the names of all of the people in your little group. Hell, I could even get a great scandal going with a reality TV show fishing boat... maybe even get a few Russians thrown in an American prison or have them sent back to get them charged with treason in their own country."

Sarah stopped when she heard the sound of a gun cocking.

"Evony." Bo warned, but the brunette shook her head,

"Oh, no, no, no, Colonel Dennis. Your little band of friends and family have made it quite clear to me that I haven't been doing enough to protect you. After Blondie's speech, it has become clear to me that they may have been right. This little bitch isn't going anywhere until we have this whole thing sewed up... even if I have to ensure that she is permanently silenced."

Bo watched as Evony pressed the barrel of the handgun against Sarah's temple, "Evony."

"Don't worry, hero. I won't hurt the pretty blonde girl unless she fails to do what I ask, when I ask and how I ask." She called over her shoulder, "Ryan? Be a dear, darling and bring those handcuffs, please?"

"Bo, you can't seriously let her hold a gun to my head and cuff me. I was just playing around." Sarah insisted.

"Sarah, you do understand how serious this situation is, right? You do understand that your own Father, General Hanes, vouched for you on this mission? You do understand that you have just threatened to expose this very important mission over me refusing to have sex with you, right? None of that is just playing around and Evony is a Federal Agent. She takes her job quite seriously and she is not about to let anything go wrong in this case. She's been working too long on it to let you interfere. So, yes, Sarah. I'm going to let Evony do whatever she has to do to protect my sister, my friends and to clear my Father's good name."

Ryan tugged the woman by the arm, taking her through a door and down a stairway. Bo turned to Evony,

"Don't hurt her, Evony."

"As I said, I won't - as long as she cooperates. Luckily, there is nothing electronic around here that she could use to get the word out about where we are. There is also too many miles between here and the closest town for her to escape on foot. Unfortunately, she can drive that snow machine you pulled up on and she can also fly the jets we have on the property. For that reason, she'll need to stay locked up."

"In handcuffs?" Bo asked.

"No, in the steel cage we have in the basement."

Bo looked around, "And here I thought this was a homey little farm. What is this place, really?"

Evony smirked, "It's just what you said. It's my farmhouse. And no, I can't tell you anything else. Just leave it at that."

"Right." Bo said, "I'm going outside to see Kenzi and Lauren."

"You're going outside to see Lauren. Kenzi came inside when she couldn't convince the blonde that you don't hate her."

"Shit." Bo replied, walking quickly to the door. Kenzi walked up behind her and started pulling outdoor gear off the rack to keep her sister warm. Finally, she handed Bo a scarf and parka for Lauren, "Give the Doc this stuff to put on. It's too cold out there for what she has on right now. Don't try to make her leave that spot. She's sat there most of the day and night every day for the past month. She feels at home there. She doesn't feel comfortable around anyone in this house except me. Don't push her, Bo. You blew it with that little display Sarah put on when you arrived. She thinks the only relationships she'll ever have is with machines."

"That's ridiculous."

"Is it? Because I think my sister was acting like one a little while ago... hell, I was acting like one when I totally forgot she was out there with me when you pulled up. She missed you, Bo. I mean... I think she really missed you. Think about that."

Bo nodded, "I have been and thanks, Kenzi."

The younger woman watched as her sister walked out into the cold night air hoping she could find the words to undo the damage this night had done to her friend's confidence. They were going to need that stubborn Doctor back if this was going to work.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Lauren... Bench Beneath the Tree Under the Stars...**_

' _What were you thinking, Lewis? Letting your mind run away into some fantasy where the hero pilot falls in love with a skinny geek with zero personality and an obsession for her work was stupid, stupid, stupid! Of course she shows up with a blonde bombshell with cleavage to spare. What did you expect? Of course, she's not very smart dressing like that after hypothermia. I'm no medical doctor, but even I know that you need at least forty-eight hours at body temperature to fully recover... I think.'_

She looked up, thinking she'd heard a noise, but resumed her thoughts quickly,

' _What did you think? That while you were apart she was thinking of you every second like you were her? She clearly had other thoughts to occupy her mind... and clearly had other things to occupy her body. That woman had her hands all over her. She didn't even notice you standing right behind her sister. Didn't she make eye contact with you over Kenzi's shoulder? Of course, she was probably thinking about the fact that you tried to kill her with the same plane that killed her father, remember? You share the blood of the man who is probably guilt of murdering her idol...'_

She was startled from her musings when she felt a hand on her shoulder,

"Lauren? Sorry, I didn't mean to..."

She spun around so quickly that she fell off the bench into the snow. She looked up to see a dark shadow standing over her and crab walked backwards as quickly as she could until she banged her head on the tree trunk. She gripped her head tightly with both hands, cringing as a surge of pain rushed through her skull,

"Owwmmmm."

"Oh, shit. Lauren, I'm so sorry. It's just me. I shouldn't have snuck up on you like that."

Lauren was confused when she looked up, to see the woman she had just been musing about, "Colonel Dennis?"

Bo smiled, "Since when are we back to Colonel?"

Lauren lowered her eyes before crawling to her feet and wiping the snow from her pants. She turned and sat on the bench before looking back at the house to see if the other blonde was nearby. When she saw no one, she spoke,

"I think it's best we keep things professional... considering your... status."

Lauren lowered her eyes to the ground, closing them tightly as her throat tightened. She took a deep breath and felt the feeling pass, so looked across the frozen landscape to clear her mind, her eyes drifting up to the scattered stars that covered the night sky. She heard Bo move and turned her head slightly to see the pilot brushing away a circle of snow on the ground in front of the bench. She carefully placed what looked like the steel rim of a truck tire over the barren space she'd cleared.

Disappearing from view for a moment, the Colonel re-emerged carrying two handfuls of fatwood, which she dropped into the middle of the rim. She reached behind the bench to grab three pieces of barn wood, tossing them on top, and then reached into her pocket to pull out a flint and steel set to start a fire.

A few minutes later, satisfied that the fire was burning adequately, she stood and moved behind Lauren once more. The blonde stayed focused on the fire, simply unable to look at the brunette. She was confused and unsure of herself. What was Bo doing and why? Was she expecting her to talk? To help?

Soon enough, Bo was back, putting down a large haul of wood next to the fire wrapped in a tarp. She settled in next to Lauren and put her hands out, warming them over the fire,

"My status, is single and I owe you an apology." Bo began.

"No you don't." Lauren replied quickly, her breath hitching when she looked at the brunette briefly, catching a glimpse of orange and red hues from the fire dancing across her beautiful face. She couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to trace her fingertips along the soft skin. Turning away, Lauren swallowed hard, pushing the thoughts from her mind.

"Actually, I do," Bo insisted, "I know what I put all of you through while I was gone. You all waited, having no idea if I was dead or alive and then I get here and don't even acknowledge your presence. It was rude and uncaring. I was just... I was so cold and when I saw my sister, my mind went to... well... to a bad time in our lives. I knew I was holding her and she was holding me, but it was almost like I was somewhere else."

Lauren nodded, "You were in shock."

Bo shook her head, "Actually, I was stuck in the past. The last time we saw each other... ran to each other like that was the day my Mom died and before that was the day my Dad died. This time it was the time I almost died and left her alone. All of the pain came flooding back and, for a moment, it was like we were losing them all over again."

"I'm so sorry you had to feel that pain." Lauren said, giving Bo a quick glance before lowering her eyes back to the fire, "And I'm sorry I had anything to do with any of this. I never meant to be a party to the greatest tragedy in your life."

Bo's eyebrows knit together as she turned to look at Lauren, "How are you a party to my Dad's death?"

"My Dad..."

Bo interrupted, "Okay, I'm going to stop you right there. Your Dad's actions do not reflect who you are or what you do. You have proven yourself to be kind, considerate, hard-working and, well... you have put your life on the line just like everyone else in that farmhouse even though you aren't military or law enforcement of any kind. You're a techno genius – and I mean that in the most adorable way possible – who has no combat training and yet here you are, risking charges of treason, military engagement or worse. I've stopped and asked myself why you're doing all this many times over the last month and do you know what I came up with?"

Lauren responded with a shrug and a shake of her head, her eyes remaining on the fire, so Bo answered,

"Nothing. There is absolutely no reason for you to be helping me. You have no ties to my family. We didn't even know each other to start with. You aren't military. Your Dad abandoned you, so you barely have reason to help him. It seems to me you got involved with this purely because of your love of aeronautics and wanting to build quality, safe aircraft for your clients... and maybe make some money. You're amazing, Lauren and, well, I'm grateful for your help beyond what my words can express, because I'm really not very good at words."

Lauren smiled, "Well, those were some words."

Bo smiled in return, "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

They were silent for a long moment before Bo spoke again,

"I think that we've started something really nice between us. A nice... friendship..."

' _And there it is, folks... the friend zone.' Lauren thought to herself._

Bo continued, "I thought about things a lot while I was hiding under the Admiral's bunk trying to be invisible on the carrier, and while I was lying in the MRI machine in sick bay when they were trying to figure out how bad the damage was to my liver and while I was hypothermic and trying to stay conscious in the Bering Sea, and while my pilot was unconscious and I was hiding us in the hull or engine rooms of a stinky fishing boat or hotel room. I... well... I just... you were on my mind... a lot."

 _All Lauren wanted to know was what she and her pilot did when they were in hiding all of that time... alone._

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that you've been on my mind and, well... for me... that's unusual. I have never been very good at... people... of any kind and... well, with you... it's just... you're... different."

' _Is she trying to say I'm weird?' Lauren wondered._

"Is the fire okay?" Bo asked.

Lauren snapped her head up, caught off guard by the sudden direct question, "It's great. I'm sorry I didn't think of it all of these weeks."

Bo smiled, "Kenzi told me you sat out here most of the day and night. She said that at first she thought it was really strange, but then when she started coming out here to sit with you, she started to understand. She said the quiet here - the feeling of being such a tiny speck in the universe - was somehow comforting."

Looking up at the sky, the brunette continued, "She said that the two of you bonded over the constellations. She really likes you, ya know. I was surprised to hear it. I was afraid I would spend the rest of my life playing referee between the two of you."

 _Lauren smiled, and then froze when Bo's words hit her, 'the rest of her life'? What on earth does that mean? Why would she be dealing with Kenzi and me for the rest of her life? Surely we'll go our separate ways after this little adventure._

"So in all of those nights out here you never once thought to make a fire?" Bo asked.

Lauren looked at the fire and shrugged, "I didn't. I mean, I guess part of me was afraid Evony would come out here screaming that a fire would draw attention to planes flying overhead even though no planes have buzzed this farm since the Generals landed."

She had listened to Bo speak freely, so decided she needed to give a little bit back. She gave a heavy sigh before she spoke her mind, "I don't know... I was just numb... maybe numb from the cold, maybe numb from fear and worry... maybe both. I just couldn't be around people and I sort of welcomed the cold."

Bo frowned, "I hope it wasn't some sort of punishment for some strange sense of blame you felt."

Lauren rubbed her hands together as she gave a chuckle, "Well what on earth would I blame myself for? Your injuries from the intentional X-2 crash, or maybe trying to get you to go up in a plane that had a bomb in it in the first place, or maybe for pushing the launch date when you clearly didn't trust the timeline, or maybe for agreeing to build a plane that killed your idol and hero, or maybe for agreeing to be involved with the project at all? Why on earth would I blame myself for any of those things? They're all completely innocent, right? So what if every step I've taken brought me closer to putting you in harms way?"

Lauren wiped at her cheeks, pushing away the unexpected tears that fell, instantly feeling the sting of the cold on her face, "Shit, of course I blame myself. I should have known the day that bastard showed up at that conference that it was too much of a coincidence. If I had just said no to him, then I never would have come into your life and you would be..."

"Sorry." Bo replied, "Sorry that I never got to meet you. Sorry that I never got to think of how the sun looks on your face. Sorry that I never got to see that beautiful smile. Sorry that I never got to laugh at your little quirks and obsessive ways when it comes to your work and sorry that we never got to share moments like this."

"What?" Lauren asked, looking up, puzzled by the unexpected words from the pilot.

Bo chuckled, "You know, this might be difficult to hear, but I want to be completely honest with you, so I hope you'll listen to everything I have to say before you get up and walk away."

Lauren nodded, "Okay."

"Sarah... the pilot that got me here... she was the pilot on the plane that brought us into Nulles the first day we met."

"We were on the same flight together?" Lauren asked.

Bo laughed, "I was sitting right next to you... I was your sleeping desk?"

Lauren's eyes went wide, her hands covering her mouth and nose, "Oh goodness. I forgot! I was so incredibly rude. I'm used to flying in my company plane, so when I have to fly commercial, the cramped space..."

"Lauren it's okay. I wasn't bringing it up because of you. I was bringing it up because of me. You see, when I got on the plane... well, before I got on the plane, actually... I was... well... looking for a woman to spend the night with. I knew I was going to be stuck on base with mostly men and Tamsin, so... well, it had already been a really long time and..."

"Bo, I understand." Lauren replied, "Besides, we didn't know each other at all, so why would you need to explain this to me. Everyone has needs. I am well aware of that."

Bo sighed, "Thank you, but if you don't mind, I want to be 100% honest."

"Okay." Lauren replied.

"Anyway, I met Sarah on that flight. She was the co-pilot. She found me in the airport eating lunch after we landed and... well... we spent the night together. I told her no strings and she agreed, but when we found ourselves in each others' company again for this mission, well..."

"Oh." Lauren squinted, "Right. I get it. You don't have to explain. Please don't explain."

Bo nodded, "Sorry. I just... like I said, I wanted to be honest. Anyway, she got a little possessive... I mean, I suppose near-death experiences bond people together..."

"It's okay, Bo. I understand. The two of you have been through something I cannot possibly understand and it created a connection between the two of you that I'm sure is amazing. It's okay. I understand. I hope the two of you can work things out."

Lauren went to stand, her heart swelling into her throat, but Bo gripped her wrist and stopped her.

' _Oh, Bo please let go. Please don't make me listen to anymore. Please don't apologize. I don't think I can handle your pity. I definitely can't handle hearing about your pilot anymore.'_

"Lauren, please... you have it all wrong."

' _Wait... wait a minute... what did she say? I have it all wrong? Really?'_

"Lauren?"

 _She stopped, her eyes locked on the wrist wrapped around her hand. 'How can a person's touch be so strong and firm, yet so soft and caring all at once?'_

"Lauren, out there, I was confused and lost. I was afraid and... I thought I was going to die. I was trying desperately to hang onto anything that would ground me in this world, but what calmed me at my worst... what made me believe when I had doubt... were thoughts of you. I would replay the sound of your voice in my head or close my eyes and picture your face and I would feel better. You've done something to me, Lauren Lewis. Colonel Bo Dennis doesn't do relationships, but she's starting to feel that... for this one woman... she may make an exception... no, she'll need to make an exception... and she'll be happy to do it."

She gently tugged Lauren's wrist until the blonde sat beside her. Moving her hand to the side of her face, the pilot traced her thumb over the blonde's cheek, along her jaw and over her lips. She leaned forward, her lips impossibly close to the Doctor's. Bo felt her breath hitch when she leaned forward, grazing Lauren's lips with her own. She felt her soul rise as the blonde allowed her to intensify the kiss, their lips melting together in a passionate moment.

After a long moment, Bo pulled back, taking a deep breath as her forehead fell against Lauren's, "Wow."

Lauren smiled, "Wow."

Bo opened her eyes, "I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong idea. I'm sorry if I caused you any sadness or pain. But I hope you know how I feel now and I hope that this means that I can take you on a proper date."

Lauren smiled, "Well, a winter night by a roaring fire built with your own hands is quite a romantic gesture."

Bo laughed, "And I did invite you on this fishing trip."

"Well, if this is your idea of a fishing trip, Colonel Dennis, I can't wait to see you pull in a big one."

Bo smiled, "I think I already have."

She leaned in and kissed the blonde again, this time making sure that Lauren knew the only thing she was interested in catching was her heart.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **P.S. I know – so much melty, melty cheese!**_


	5. Chapter 5: Who's Side Are You On?

_**A/N:**_ _Wanna know who killed Bo's Father? Wanna know who's been sabotaging Lauren's program? Wanna know if Kenzi gives Lauren her company back? Wanna see Sarah get punched in the face? (teehee... just kidding). We're creeping closer to those answers! One chapter to go (and maybe one additional short BoLo chapter to close things up – if they both live, of course)._

 _As always, thank you for the reviews, favorites and follows! Enjoy!_

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Chapter 5: Who's Side Are You On?**_

"Evony, you can't just keep her locked up in the basement. She hasn't actually done anything wrong." Bo said as the agent rose from the dinner table with her dirty dishes to walk towards the kitchen.

Bo followed, quickly stacking up her own dishes, assuring the woman their conversation was not over, but Evony was not changing her mind any time soon.

"She threatened to disclose top secret information to the very people we are investigating for criminal behavior and treason, Colonel. I will not release her until we have tied up all of the loose ends of this case."

"That could take months." Bo replied as Evony took the dishes from her hands and placed them in the sink.

Evony shook her head as she started loading the dishwasher, "We don't have months. These people need to be removed from their positions of power now. The General is arranging a meeting with the Joint Staff."

Bo's eyes went wide, "But what if some of them are involved? We don't know how high up this goes yet! The Fleet Admiral was on the carrier the day that I left the ship! We still don't know if he was involved."

Evony shrugged, wiping down the counters, "Well then, we'll certainly find out by having this meeting, won't we."

"And you're worried about Sarah giving out information." Bo mumbled sarcastically as she watched Evony rinse and store the sponge she was using and then exit the kitchen, "Evony!"

"We're done, Bo. Things are already in motion."

"You could stop them!" Bo shouted in reply even though she knew the woman wasn't listening. She turned and opened the dishwasher, putting soap in the dispenser before closing and starting it. She threw the dishtowel that was over her shoulder onto the counter and pressed both hands onto the granite, giving a frustrated sigh as she gazed out of the window.

"Problems in paradise?"

She smiled when she heard the sound of Lauren's voice. She turned to reply,

"If this is paradise, I want a refund." Bo said, turning to face the blonde.

Lauren laughed, taking a seat at the kitchen table, "Come here. Sit with me."

Bo pushed away from the counter and sat down beside the blonde, folding her hands on the table in front of her,

"It's not about my feelings for Sarah – just in case you were wondering."

Lauren smiled, "I know, Bo. It's okay. I just want you to take a beat. Breathe, sweetie."

Bo looked at Lauren, giving her a smile that reached her eyes, "I love it when you call me that. No one has ever called me by one of those... what do you call it... a term of endearment?"

Lauren placed a gentle hand on top of the woman's folded hands. When she felt how tight the grip was, she turned Bo's chair to face her own and took each hand gently in one of her own. She smiled as she felt her grasp relax.

"You've been on edge all week, Bo. Perimeter rides five times a day, using the radar in the jets to check the skies, checking and rechecking doors and closets – you can't keep going like this, Bo."

The pilot gave a laugh, "Are you kidding? I've been going like this since I started flying jets. Did you forget the conversation you had with Kenzi about the so-called suicide missions that were my norm?"

Lauren scowled, "They were wrong to send you on those missions and it's wrong that you've been kept in this state for most of your adult life. It's not acceptable and I intend to change it."

Bo smiled, "Oh you do, do you? And how are you going to do that?"

"Back rubs. Lots and lots of back rubs." Lauren replied.

"I can think of a few other ways to relax me." Bo flirted, giving Lauren a wink, but the blonde was immediately uncomfortable and Bo saw it, "I'm kidding, Lauren."

"Are you? Really? I mean, we talked about waiting until we weren't in a house full of people and all of this was over, but you've been hinting at sex all week, Bo. I'm starting to think you agreed just to appease me."

Bo frowned, "Not at all, Lauren. I'm serious about treating this like a real relationship and not just jumping into bed right away."

"Treating this like a real relationship? What does that mean?" Lauren asked.

Bo closed her eyes, gripping Lauren's hands tighter, "I'm sorry. I just... I have zero experience in relationships and... well, that was... that didn't come out right."

"Okay then, so rephrase and tell me what you did mean." Lauren said, her patience with this topic running thin after Bo's digs and hints had only escalated all week.

Bo took a breath and focused on what she wanted to say, and then looked at Lauren. This woman was so kind, so hardworking, so smart, so quirky and funny... so patient,

"We talked about my previous lifestyle. I don't want to live that way anymore. I want something more meaningful... something real... and I think I can have that with you, Lauren." She looked down at their joined hands and thumbed Lauren's fingers with her own,

"When things have gone to shit in my life, I've never had a person that I wanted to run to... a person that could make me see things from a different perspective... a person that could calm me down. I mean, of course there was Kenzi, but I never felt like I needed to talk to her unless it was life or death. While you and I were apart for all of those weeks, I found myself wanting to talk to you... wanting your opinion. That's never happened for me before. I thought that maybe it was just a friendship thing, but... well, obviously there's an attraction there or I wouldn't be doing the flirty thing."

Lauren nodded, unsure of what to say in response to such an open admission by the brunette. They sat in silence before Bo added,

"I feel like you're turning into a best friend... who I want to kiss and touch in a completely unfriend way." Bo admitted, "My stomach and my chest ache when I'm away from you for too long."

"So maybe you could do one less perimeter ride each day?" Lauren suggested.

Bo shook her head, "That's the thing... I'm doing all of those things because... well, I need to keep you safe. I can't lose you, Lauren."

"Bo, you're not going to lose me."

"You don't know that."

"I'm not going anywhere, Bo."

"You can't control these people, Lauren. You don't know them like I do. They wouldn't hesitate to take down everyone in this house and they could do it from the ground or air any time they wanted to."

"Then let's focus on what we can control, Bo. We can control this moment between us, right here and right now."

Lauren leaned in and kissed Bo's lips softly before pulling her into a strong embrace. Bo closed her eyes and settled her head on the blonde's shoulder. Her mind traveled quickly to where it's always been lately... trying to push out the dreams that wouldn't go away whether she was asleep or awake. A military team of some sort breaks down the door to the farmhouse and kills everyone inside. She couldn't tell Lauren. She didn't want to scare her. She wanted to protect her.

She gripped the blonde tighter, willing the thoughts of her dreams away. She couldn't lose this woman. She couldn't lose the connection that was growing between them every day. The question was, how could she stop the dream from coming true?

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Perimeter Ride – Bo and Tamsin**_

Tamsin had been watching Bo ride in silence for the last half hour. For the last few weeks, the brunette had been acting as if they were on a mission. She was all business on these perimeter rides and she had created a schedule amongst everyone at the farmhouse so that they were being done every hour in pairs.

Evony had protested, of course, but General Walker had been quick to remind the agent that she was the one who had invited them to her farmhouse and had, therefore, committed herself to doing everything in her power to keep them all safe. Of course, the night had not been without other surprises. She smiled at the memory, as her horse instinctively followed Bo's,

 _ **Flashback...**_

 _Everyone had gathered for dinner at Bo's request to discuss their precarious situation. If they were found, they were defenseless without a plan and she wanted to be sure they were ready for any and all situations._

" _I am not riding a horse around my property. Do you know how many acres I own?" Evony complained, but General Walker was quick to interrupt before she and Bo could get into another of their now famous arguments,_

" _Agent, you are the one who insisted we would all be safe here, so I believe it prudent that you stand a post just like the rest of us."_

" _I'm not military." She replied, quickly, but the General was not happy with her reply,_

" _You are NCIS and bound by not only the Navy, but also the Department of Defense in matters of national security. It is your obligation to defend federal witnesses with your life. We are all your witnesses. We die, your case falls apart and the accused are free to continue to take the lives of soldiers and citizens of this country. Now... do you really want our blood on your hands?"_

 _Ryan, who had been mostly silent since they'd arrived, spoke, "No sir, we don't. Evony and I will take a shift just like everyone else. We..." he looked at Evony who was rolling her eyes, "... I... am committed to seeing this through and doing whatever it takes to bring every witness to court... alive and well."_

 _Bo and Kenzi gave each other a surprised look before the younger sister leaned in and whispered, "Wow. He finally grew a pair of cojon_ _é_ _s... maybe he really is Air Force after all."_

 _Bo whispered in reply, "Correction... he's Air Force Office of Special Investigations. You know how those 'special' people are. They just need a little flattering and TLC once in a while to get them to play nice."_

 _The sisters shared another laughed before Bo turned to Ryan, "Thank you, Agent Lambert. We are grateful for your dedication and service." She turned to Walker and Flanders, "Generals, are you able to ride a shift or..."_

 _General Flanders interjected, a broad smile on his face, "I don't know about Old Paint here, but I look forward to getting back in the saddle. It's been too long."_

 _Hale laughed, "That's right. You own a ranch, right Sir?"_

" _That I do, Lieutenant. We raise Arabians, Mustangs and Appaloosa's mostly." He replied, a broad smile on his face as he seemed to reminisce about his home._

" _Well, we'll do everything in our power to get you back to that ranch quickly, Sir." Lambert replied, seeing the wayward look in the General's eyes._

" _That would be greatly appreciated, Lambert. The Missus has her hands full whenever I'm gone. Oh, she loves that ranch, of course. It's in her blood, but she loves those horses more than me, that's for sure."_

 _Everyone gave a collective chuckle and a laugh before General Walker spoke once again,_

" _So, Stick, what did you have in mind?"_

 _Bo hesitated, before looking up, "Sir, I don't pretend to know more than you, so if you'd like to take the lead here, I'd surely follow."_

 _The General smiled, standing from the table and moving across the room to his brief case. He opened it and pulled out a small velvet box as he spoke,_

" _Well, Admiral Burke, General Flanders and I had a bit of a conversation before the two of us were flown off the carrier with Manes and Ellison here. He said you were running ops for the carrier group. Manes told me you were a natural."_

" _Sir?" Bo asked._

" _Come on, Stick. Don't be shy." The General replied with a smile._

 _Bo fumbled with her fingers, as she replied, "Sir, permission to speak freely."_

" _Dennis, we've broken about two dozen military rules, so I'd say we're way beyond military protocol here. Speak."_

 _Bo nodded, "Yes, Sir. I suppose we are. Well, on the carrier... I mean, Manes can speak to this... I was bored out of my mind hiding in the Admiral's quarters all that time. I thought they were just trying to distract me by giving me something to do."_

 _She looked at Manes, "I didn't know they were actually using my strategic plans."_

 _The General smiled and nodded, "The Admiral said they showed foresight, creativity and ingenuity. They may have been trying to kill you with those missions they sent you on, Stick, but in the process, they gave you one hell of an education."_

 _Bo chuckled, "That it was, Sir. That it was."_

 _General Flanders stood and moved to stand next to his old friend who spoke to Bo, "If you would please rise and stand at attention, Colonel."_

 _Bo looked at Kenzi before standing before her superior officer, "Sir?"_

" _Since we're not on base and since we've already broken so many rules, I'm going to skip a few of the formalities here. Colonel Ysabeau Dennis, you have demonstrated courage, honor and obedience in the performance of your duties as a Colonel in the United States Air Force. You have discharged your duties with bravery, integrity and character despite those who sent you into harms way while disguised as worthy superiors. In view of these special qualities and the demonstration of skills necessary to perform at a higher grade, Ysabeau Dennis is promoted to the rank of Brigadier General on this date by order of the Secretary of the Air Force."_

 _All of the military personnel in the room erupted in applause as Bo stood, her mouth agape, her eyes traveling to each of her friends before finding Kenzi's. Her little sister gave her a hug before Bo turned back to the seat behind her where Lauren sat smiling._

 _Bo took the offered hand, giving it a squeeze before leaning down to whisper, "Thank you for supporting me all of these months. I know I haven't been easy."_

" _Well, I was certainly not the most helpful person in the room when we first met." Lauren admitted._

" _Water under the bridge." Bo replied to which Lauren nodded and kissed the brunette's hand._

 _Bo turned back to the General who smiled, "While I would love the honor of pinning these stars on you, you're not exactly dressed for it... and, I think it's a Dennis family tradition that a family member pin them on, right?"_

 _Bo smiled, "My little sister here is the only one who has ever changed anything on my uniform, so I guess you're right about that, Sir. I can just put the box in my bag for now."_

" _Of course not. I took the liberty of packing your dress jacket." Kenzi said, lifting a box from beneath the table._

" _You knew?" Bo asked._

 _Kenzi eyed the two men, knowingly, "General Flanders told me before I left the X-2 hangar. We all agreed that doing this here would be sort of symbolic and besides, we could all use a reason to celebrate, don't you think?"_

 _Bo smiled, as her sister held up the jacket so she could pull it on. The General opened the box and turned the shiny stars towards Kenzi. The pilot watched as her sister removed the insignia from one shoulder, replacing it with a single star and then did the same on the other side. Once she was finished, she carefully placed her sister's old hardware in the box, placed it on the table in front of Bo's dinner plate, and took her seat._

 _Everyone watched as Bo turned to the General, standing at attention as he spoke,_

" _Friends, loved ones of Ysabeau Dennis, I will now administer the Oath of Office. Are you ready, Stick?"_

 _Bo smiled, "Yes, Sir."_

" _Raise your right hand and repeat after me."_

 _Bo stood proudly, raising her right hand as instructed, then listened carefully to the General before her, as he spoke,_

" _I, state your name..."_

" _I, Ysabeau Dennis..."_

 _Lauren sat quietly, her mind focused only on Bo's replies as she watched the quiet ceremony that she guessed would usually be held in front of a larger group for most officers. But Bo had no one else. She had only Kenzi and this group of friends and colleagues. Somehow it felt so wrong and for a moment, she felt the guilt of her father's sins resurface, but she pushed it down and focused. She wanted to give Bo's ceremony the honor and respect it deserved. So, she remained present, focusing on the brunette's words._

" _Having been appointed to the rank of Brigadier General of the United States Air Force..."_

" _Do solemnly swear that I will support and defend..."_

" _The Constitution of the United States..."_

" _Against all enemies, foreign and domestic..."_

" _That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same..."_

" _That I take this obligation freely..."_

" _Without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion..."_

" _And that I will well and faithfully discharge..."_

" _The duties of the office upon which I am about to enter..."_

" _So help me God."_

" _Congratulations." The General said, extending his hand._

 _Bo took the offered hand, "Thank you, Sir." She looked to General Flanders, "Both of you... so much."_

 _She shook General Flanders hand before both Generals turned to Tamsin, "Rage, it's your turn."_

 _Tamsin's face turned red as she covered her mouth and looked at Manes before standing up, "Sir?"_

 _Manes stood up, handing General Flanders a box identical to Bo's, which he opened, revealing two shiny pieces of silver,_

" _Please stand." General Walker said, moving to Tamsin's side while Manes pulled out a box from under the table,_

" _Ma'am? May I help you with your jacket?" He grinned._

 _All of the military personnel around the table whooped and hollered as Manes helped the blonde into the jacket, and then placed a quick kiss on her cheek. Tamsin blushed, her hand going to the spot before looking up at him,_

" _Thank you."_

" _Always." Manes replied, "Now, let's get this show on the road."_

 _Tamsin smiled and turned to the General, "Sir."_

 _The General stood at attention before the blonde, "Raise your right hand and repeat after me."_

 _Everyone afforded Tamsin the same respect as they had given Bo while she received her promotion to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and then applauded and cheered when Manes dipped the pilot, planting a long, hard kiss on her lips._

" _I knew it!" Kenzi said, slapping Hale so hard on the back, he spit out his dessert, "Sorry."_

" _Now, now. We have some unfinished business. Let's get to it." General Walker said, taking his seat and turning to Bo, "You've gotten us this far, General. What's your plan?"_

 _Bo grinned at the sound of her knew rank. She knew this was going to take some getting used to, but strangely enough, she felt much more comfortable laying out her plan with the new title intact. Still, she looked to the men with more stars on their shoulders for assurance and guidance. There was a reason they had more metal and she hadn't gotten to where she was today by ignoring commanding officers._

" _Well, the way I see it, our Agent's case hinges on the material witnesses in this farmhouse. The accused have the entire U.S. military at their disposal. If they learn of our whereabouts, they can take us all out with one well-placed missile. As you said, General, we've broken a helluva lot of military rules and our federal and civilian friends would be accused of treason at best. If they killed us now, it would be even easier for them to prove their innocence. We're guilty and without our testimonies, they're serving their country with honor by killing the traitorous AWOL militants."_

" _Geezus. That's ridiculous." Said Martin._

" _That's justice." Evony quipped, her tone not popular with anyone in the room, "What?"_

" _I'm not sure you understand the position you've put us in by bringing us all here." Bo stated, her eyes set on the NCIS Agent._

" _I got you out of harms way." Evony defended._

" _And what? We're free and clear sitting here in this house?" Bo asked, "Do you understand that it would take only one tactical unit to take us all out?"_

 _Evony rolled her eyes, "Oh, don't be so dramatic. This place is a fortress. Besides, we're not without weapons of our own. We have four of the good Doctor's brilliant machines on this property and they are all fully armed and ready."_

 _Bo was frustrated with how casual the Special Agent was, "Evony, our jets are useless sitting inside of your barns! If you'd ever flown one, you would understand!"_

" _Hey, they got you here." She replied._

 _General Walker chimed in, "I believe what Stick is trying to explain is that one ground unit sitting in the tree line right now could shoot an RPG into this house and we would never so much as take a step towards the barn in defense of this property."_

 _Evony shook her head, "Oh, relax. There is more to this place than meets the eye. Do you think I would be here if I thought they could find you?"_

 _Kenzi responded before Bo could offer a remark, "She's got a point there, BoBo. She wouldn't risk breaking a nail for us let alone offer a drop of blood."_

" _I'll have you know I have been wounded in the line of duty on several occasions. I'm one of the best NCIS agents the Navy has which is why I was assigned to such a high profile case."_

 _Tamsin smirked, "Lady, if you want to compare battle wounds, Bo will kick your ass and if you were such a great agent, you wouldn't have to spout your resume at us. Now how are you going to stop a missile?"_

 _Evony smirked, "You've got fully loaded jets out there. I'm sure the Doctor can come up with something we can use as weaponry if it comes to a long-range battle. I've got all we need for close engagement."_

" _Evony, I don't think you're listening," Bo began, "Two of the four planes we have here require a runway or catapult to become airborne."_

" _We don't need them to be up in the air." Evony replied._

 _Bo shook her head, "If we're going to destroy a vehicle that can carry a missile launcher, we certainly do."_

" _Maybe not." Came a soft voice from behind Bo._

 _All eyes turned to Lauren who was focused on the map of the farm in the middle of the table._

" _Lauren?" Bo asked._

 _The blonde wagged a finger towards the map, closing her eyes for a moment before she spoke, "If we can move the planes into strategic locations around the farmhouse, I may be able to rig the planes so that they can fire their missiles remotely from their mounts without having to be airborne."_

 _Tamsin scowled, "I thought there were safety mechanisms in place to prevent just that from happening."_

 _Lauren nodded, "There are, but we have a great group of mechanics and Martin is great with the tech components."_

 _She turned to the enlisted men, "Stevie, when your guys get back from the supply run, can you start running through the manuals on the F-15 and F-16 to see where we might be able to override the systems? Your Command Chief Ellison should be able to help you as well."_

 _Stevie nodded, "Sure thing, Doc. It would be nice to know we could contribute something other than just a bunch of recordings."_

 _Evony interjected, "Hey, those recordings are key pieces of evidence. Don't think for a moment that you aren't contributing something huge."_

 _Stevie blushed as the woman gave him a wink and a smile while Kenzi made a gagging noise, mumbling under her breath, to Tamsin, "Cougar."_

 _Bo rolled her eyes and shook her head. She knew everyone was getting a little stir crazy, but she was truly worried that they were not safe here. Trying to push the frustration from her voice, she attempted to refocus the group,_

" _Okay, so if Lauren can rig the planes, we would want to position them here, here, here and... here." She looked to the other Generals for approval, but Evony spoke instead,_

" _You want to place that last plane here." Evony replied._

" _Why?" Bo asked._

 _Evony rolled her eyes, "Because here I have a missile launcher of my own."_

" _You what?" Bo asked._

 _She sat back in her chair, pulling out a nail file and going to work on her nails, "I think I spoke clearly, right?" She looked at the Generals, "Did you understand me?"_

" _Evony." General Walker warned._

" _Oh, fine. I have a missile launcher." She stood and walked to a small two-shelf bookcase across the room and pulled on the top corner of one of the books on the bottom shelf. Everyone watched as the bookcase slowly rose up the wall, revealing what looked like a small outlet. Evony dropped to her knees and leaned in, allowing a retinal scanner to confirm her identity. A portion of the paneled wall popped open revealing a secret room._

" _Voila." Evony said, holding up her hands like a model on a game show, "My tactical center."_

 _Bo stood, her eyes traveling to the Generals who tossed their pencils on the table and sighed before turning to follow the others into the room. What Bo saw when she stepped inside the room was more than she could have imagined was hidden on the farm. The property wasn't run down by any stretch of the imagination, but it definitely looked like nothing more than a farm... and a ranch. She had noticed that Evony had been spending a lot of time in two structures that no one else had entered - small barn and one of two silos. Now she had to wonder what the NCIS agent was hiding in those buildings._

" _I can launch my missiles from here and there is a panic room there." She pointed to another empty wall._

" _I suppose we need your eye to open that as well?" Bo asked._

 _Evony shook her head, "Thumbprint and yes, Ryan has already programmed all of your prints into the main frame that controls much of the tactical equipment."_

 _Lauren scowled, "And how, pray tell, did he get our thumb prints?"_

 _Ryan smiled, holding up his glass of wine to the blonde, "Remember that first night we all made it here and the General offered a toast?"_

 _Lauren turned her head slowly towards the voice, "You insisted on clearing the table after dinner."_

 _He smiled proudly, "Lifting the prints was simple. Running the background checks to make sure everyone was who they claimed to be was a little more difficult, but it worked."_

" _And if anyone traced the background checks to this farm?" Martin asked._

" _I'm your equal there, Marty. I covered my tracks, don't you worry." Ryan smiled, proudly._

" _Let's just hope there's more than just your ego to back up that claim." Kenzi offered._

 _Bo ran her fingers over the console, "So, what have we got?"_

 _Evony handed Bo a clipboard with the total inventory of the farm, "Everything you need... except a cleared runway or catapult."_

" _Well, I'm a pilot, so a runway or catapult is what I do best. Still, if Lauren can get the missiles flight ready, we still have two planes left." She turned to Lauren, "What are the Blackbirds' capabilities?"_

 _Lauren smiled, "She'll outrun any surface-to-air missile they've got. Like the new Valkyrie and Osprey my company has been working on, they can take off from any stationary position."_

" _What, like a helicopter?" Kenzi asked._

 _Lauren nodded, "It's the same concept, yes."_

" _Well, that's good news because I've got your Osprey here." Evony smirked._

" _Excuse me?" Lauren asked._

 _Evony chuckled, "Well, how do you think me and Lambert got here from the base? They were kind enough to send your pilot... what was his name..."_

" _Mark Thornwood?" Bo asked._

" _Yes, call sign, Panther." Evony confirmed._

" _What did you do with him?" Bo asked, her anger flaring._

" _Well, apparently those other two pilots from the Resurrection Project were in league with our illustrious Secretary of Defense..." Evony grabbed a report and opened the cover, reading two names, "... one Army Captain Sam "Tiki" Evans and one Marine Captain Seamus "Boner" Williams... my, that's unfortunate... they attacked Panther and so he's downstairs in our makeshift infirmary."_

 _Bo's eyes went wide as the Generals turned their attention to the agent, "Under whose care?" Bo asked._

" _My sister, Candice. She's a nurse. He's in good hands."_

 _Bo scowled, "You brought a civilian here who has nothing to do with all of this?"_

" _Well, she owns half of this farm, so I'd say she has something to do with all of this." Evony waved her hands around the room, signaling that she meant the property, not just this room._

 _Bo sighed, "Fine. So, tomorrow Lauren and her group get busy on the planes." She looked at Kenzi who she could tell was already committing systems to memory, "Can you handle all of this?"_

" _Oh no. This room is way above..."_

 _Bo waved her hands, "I'm going to stop you right there, Evony. There is no way you have more tech know-how than Kenzi and Martin. This is precisely what the two of them do for a living... every minute of every day."_

" _Miss Military Intelligence knows tech?" Evony questioned._

 _Kenzi rolled her eyes at the agent, "You do know that wars are now being waged by drone and by the information superhighway, right? No? Of course not." She rolled her eyes, "Your systems are outdated, but I can upgrade everything with Martin's help. You with me, Marty?"_

 _Martin looked at Lauren who nodded, "I'll call you if I need you."_

" _Okay then, we do perimeter patrols every hour." Bo began._

" _You can't ride this entire property in an hour." Evony objected._

" _Precisely. When one is about half way around the perimeter, the next will be trailing them. Anyone not working on the planes or this room is riding. Everyone has a job to do to protect and defend. Agreed?" Bo asked._

 _There were no objections in the room. Lauren moved to stand by Bo, slipping her hand into the brunette's while they watched everyone depart,_

" _And here I thought you were going to cut back on your perimeter checks." Lauren smiled._

 _Bo nodded, "Sorry. I just... I can't let this go, Lauren. I have to be sure..." she lowered her eyes, "...I have to be sure you're safe."_

 _Lauren looked around the room, "I am, Bo. As long as I'm with you, I'm safe..." she placed a light kiss on her cheek, "... and so are you."_

 _ **Present Day, Perimeter Ride...**_

"So... you and the Doc, huh?" Tamsin asked.

Bo looked over her shoulder, "What?"

"You and the Doc are getting pretty close, huh?" Tamsin said, riding up next to her friend.

Bo smiled, "Yea, we are."

"I'm happy for you, Bo. It's nice to see you knock down those walls of steel and let someone in. Besides, you're good for her. She's not so... frigid anymore."

"Hey!" Bo protested.

"You know what I mean. She's not as controlling as she used to be." Tamsin clarified.

"Tamsin! She was not controlling! She was... thorough." Bo replied, but inside she had to chuckle at how in control Lauren had been the day she'd first tried to get into the simulator.

"Oh, come on, Bo. Even you complained that she wouldn't let you run your own pre-flight check."

And there it is, Bo thought, shaking her head, "Fine. But she only did it to make sure nothing happened to her pilots. She had everything invested in this program, Tamsin."

She repeated her last words in her own mind, realizing for the first time, what Lauren had actually sacrificed. She looked over at Tamsin,

"Taking down Tops could also take out her entire... dammit!"

"What?"

"She could lose everything, Tamsin."

The blonde shook her head, "General Walker won't let that happen, Bo. He's had Lauren's back since he took over the program. Trust me. You weren't here when her Dad was in charge. He treated her like shit, ordering her around and putting down her work. He was a real piece of work."

Bo nodded, looking back out across the endless miles of barren white in front of them as she replied,

"He was never good enough for her. It's better that he's not in her life now... and wasn't in her life back then. I want to show her how she should be treated, so as long as she'll have me, I'll stand by her... and do right by her. It's just a shame that she's good for me and I'm not good enough for her. I don't know what she sees in me. She should be with someone who's brilliant, smart and... well... a professional, you know?"

Tamsin smiled, "You mean instead of being with a fighter jock?"

"Yea. I guess I do." Bo replied, eyeing the horizon, "Uh... Tamsin?"

"Bo?"

"Does Evony have any horses that just run loose on her property?"

Tamsin looked at Bo and then followed her line of sight, squinting at what looked like a herd of horses in the distance,

"What the hell is that?" Tamsin asked.

"What do you say we don't find out." Bo said, turning away from the fence, "Ride, Tamsin. Let's go."

"Don't have to tell me twice." Tamsin said, turning away from the threat, "Where do we go?"

"Tree line. Do you still have a burner on you?" Bo asked.

"Yes."

"If we get split up, use it to call the house." Bo said, breaking into a hard gallop.

The pair disappeared into the woods, a plan quickly being formulated in Bo's mind. When she thought they were sufficiently out of sight, Bo walked her horse into an area that gave them a good view of the clearing with Tamsin just behind her.

She spoke quietly, keeping her eyes on the coming group, "Being in the dense forest will make the riding more difficult, but under cover, we can at least get a good glimpse of who or what is on Evony's land. If they're a threat, we can call the house and warn the rest of their party to get ready and let them know we'll be coming in behind whoever this is."

"Yea, I'd really love it if our own people didn't drop a bomb on us or shoot us." Tamsin replied.

"Me too." Bo said, her eyes locking on a group of five men who were closing in. They looked like they might be heading towards the house, but she couldn't be sure they hadn't seen their tracks.

She tapped Tamsin and then pointed two fingers at her own eyes, then at the visitors. The blonde nodded, pulling a pair of binoculars from her saddle pack and then handing them to Bo. The brunette took a good long gaze before she leaned in towards Tamsin,

"They appear to be unarmed, but they could have side arms. They have buzz cuts... boots... look like military issue, but I'm not sure."

Bo handed the binoculars to Tamsin who focused in on the group as they slowed to a stop. The lead rider pointed to the snow,

"Shit. I think they see our tracks." Tamsin said.

Bo looked at the horses and then back at the riders, "You see anything I missed?"

Tamsin leaned forward, "Dammit." She handed the binoculars to Bo, "Third guy back, right arm just above the elbow. I think I just clocked the bottom of a Special Forces tattoo."

Bo pulled the binoculars from her face, looking at the horses again. She handed the binoculars to Tamsin, "They're following the horses tracks in the snow."

"What's the plan?" Tamsin asked.

"Well, first we're going to remember to thank Evony for snagging some P-90 submachine guns from her friends at the FBI arsenal for her secret armory. Second, we're going to pull on our Kevlar vests from the saddlebags, lock these P-90's to the protective gear and scale these trees after we send the horses back towards the farm."

"We're losing our rides?" Tamsin said, as she quickly followed Bo's lead and began dressing.

"When they return to the farm without us, the gang will know we ran into some trouble out here. If they take us, they'll know. If they kill us, they'll know. If they're friendly, we'll be with them when they arrive at the farmhouse." Bo explained, slapping her horse on its hindquarter and watching it speed off towards the property.

Tamsin followed suit, locking and loading her weapon before pulling her hair up into a pony tail and pulling on a baseball cap backwards,

"What do you think the gang will do?" Tamsin asked.

"Hopefully they'll arm up and stay put... or use Evony's escape plan. If these guys aren't friendlies, they'll have backup." Bo replied, "Okay, I have a good spot point up in this tree. How about you?"

Tamsin looked up, "Let's go back to back. I'll take the branch on the opposite side. That branch above will make a good anchor. I'm shivering a bit and missing our first shot won't be a good idea since we're outnumbered."

Bo walked to the edge of the tree line with a pine branch and then made her way back using a sweeping motion over the tracks on the ground to cover their tracks. Tamsin did the same until they were both back at the tree, where Bo dropped the branch beneath one foot and swiped at the snow with her other foot, before standing fully on the branch,

"Hopefully they'll walk right by." Bo replied as she pushed her weapon behind her and began scaling the massive pine tree.

Tamsin covered her tracks in the same fashion before following Bo up the tree. Once they were both settled, the blonde went to speak, but Bo reached back and tapped her shoulder, signaling silence with a finger over her lips. She pointed two fingers at her own eyes, and then pointed them down below. Tamsin glanced down and nodded, seeing the group move closer.

She watched as the men looked at one another, the lead pointing behind him and up in the tree. Tamsin looked over at Bo who was looking down at them with the binoculars. She whispered,

"They have some sort of GPS tracker."

Tamsin scowled, "What are they tracking?"

Bo shrugged, looking back down.

"Stick! Rage! We know you're up there. We just want to talk! We're on your side. We're here to help."

The pair shared a long gaze before they looked down at the leader who spoke again,

"Bo? Tamsin? We don't have much time. See this?" The leader held up the device Bo had detected moments before, "This is a GPS tracker. They're tracking you... everyone in Project Resurrection."

"We're fucked." Tamsin whispered.

Bo scowled, before she shouted down to the men, "Just so you know, we've got P-90's pointed at you and another one of your men. You know we could take you all out before you'd have a chance to so much as glance up in our direction."

"That's right. You have us. And with a P-90, one of you could take us all out while the other checked for the tracker."

Bo looked at Tamsin who leaned in on the tree branch and took aim on the group below. She placed a careful hand on her friend's shoulder, "Got 'em?"

"They're mine if they so much as flinch." Tamsin replied, flipping the safety on the side of her weapon and one on the top, "Off single shot. On rapid fire assault."

Bo nodded, "I've changed clothes plenty of times since I left the base. How could they have a tracker on me."

The man replied, "Not on you. In you."

"What?" Bo replied.

The news caused Tamsin to flinch, but she took a steadying breath and refocused, remembering that they were not yet completely sure the men were on the up and up.

"Four years ago in the Med. Top sent you, Rage, Papa, Panther, Tiki and Boner on a search and rescue mission in Afghanistan. You all came back having been exposed to some top-secret toxin. None of us know what it was, but what we do know is that you were all taken into the infirmary on the carrier, put into medically induced comas and given some short surgical procedure."

Bo looked at Tamsin who scowled, shaking her head, "We didn't have any surgery."

"Actually, you did. You just didn't know about it. Recently, Stick, you were back on board the carrier and the same doctor tended to your wounds. Your tracker had malfunctioned, so a new one was put in while you were unconscious."

Bo and Tamsin's eyes went wide as they stared at each other. Bo watched Tamsin's eyes welling with tears. She knew instantly what she was thinking,

"Are you saying that Manes had something to do with this?" Bo asked.

"No way. Manes is the one that passed on his suspicions to me."

"So... the Admiral and the Doctor?" Bo asked.

"The Admiral sent me after I proved Manes' theory by finding your signal. Once he saw where it was, he tracked it and used a burner phone to call the house."

Bo threw her head back, speaking only loud enough for Tamsin to hear, "That's the call that Evony took that she wouldn't tell us about. She knew we were being tracked?"

"Do you know Agent Evony Marquis?"

The men all laughed, "You mean Agent Evony Fleurette Marquis?"

They all laughed again, "The one and only." Bo replied.

"We do. The Admiral called her last week to bring her up to speed about the theory."

"She knows the Admiral?" Bo asked.

The men laughed again, "She's NCIS, so they've become... acquainted. He hates her guts. Anyway, we didn't know for sure just then, but he wanted to be sure she knew."

Bo nodded, "Should we be concerned that she didn't tell us about these trackers?"

"They agreed to do nothing at that point until we were sure. If we turned them off before they knew who was tracking you, it wouldn't have helped. She was pretty sure you would want the trackers out right away and we weren't ready to sever that connection."

"You're damn right I would have wanted them out. I want them out right now!" Bo replied, her anger flaring.

"We can't do that, Stick. Not until we're sure that the assault team who was raiding the office where they're tracking you from has been shut down."

Bo looked at Tamsin who just shrugged, not knowing what to think, "So what are you here for if we can't shut them down?"

"We have a program to make the people that are watching you guys, believe you have left here, but we need your sister to help us. One of us is a surgeon who is going to remove the trackers one at a time, and then re-implant them."

Bo felt around her neck and arms, "I can't feel the tracker. Where did they put it?"

"The first ones were placed in the soft tissue just below your non-dominant arms' shoulder blade."

Bo reached over to Tamsin and pulled the upper Velcro strap of her Kevlar vest loose, then felt the area to see if she could feel the implanted device. The blonde watched the look on Bo's face, taking a deep breath and holding it when she felt her friends' fingers linger in the spot,

"Shit. He's not lying, Rage."

Sighing, she leaned her head down on the butt of her weapon, "So now what?"

"I guess we have to trust them..." Bo looked up at the sound of horses, "Here comes the cavalry."

Tamsin looked to her right, "We'd better stop them from shooting these guys."

Bo nodded, shouting down to the group, "Are you guys Navy?"

The leader dropped his weapon and raised his hands, turning slowly to look up at the tree, "I'm Navy... Navy Seal, to be exact. My name is Colonel John Dawson but on duty they call me Specter or Boss."

"What? Like a ghost?" Bo asked.

He chuckled, "I tend to get in and out of places without people noticing. I'm good at stealth."

Bo and Tamsin looked at each other, "A guy who looks like a lineman for the NFL is good at stealth, huh? Good to know."

"Yea, yea. Yuck it up. Anyway, this is Spider, Haus and Bug. They're also Seals. This is Jones, he's Special Forces and that's Doc Shore and he's... well... the doctor."

Bo nodded, "Well, it would be a good idea for you boys to put down your weapons. Our team is coming your way and they're not aware of who you claim to be. Two of them are Navy and Air Force Feds. Those guys are taught to shoot first, ask questions later... hands in the air, gentlemen."

They all fell in line and did as told just in time for Evony to arrive in the clearing, riding the horse while holding a rifle aimed at the leader. It was impressive to see the weapon at full draw while her thighs clenched the horse to keep her atop her mount,

"I believe General Dennis asked you to raise your hands, gentlemen." Came a firm voice from the other brunette.

The leader looked up at the trees, "General?"

Bo rolled her eyes, "Just promoted. Evony, don't shoot them. If what he just told me is true, we're in trouble."

Tamsin maintained over watch while her commanding officer made her way down the tree. Once Bo was safely on the ground, she followed before both stepped out of the woods, Tamsin still holding her P-90 cautiously in her arms as Bo spoke to Kenzi, "You're not going to believe this... and you're definitely not going to like it."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Farmhouse Basement...**_

Kenzi descended the stairway into the large basement where she saw her sister sitting in a chair in the corner with Tamsin, Hale, Lauren, Martin and General Flanders. On the table between them was a pile of burner phones and a map.

"What's up, Bo Bo?"

The brunette glanced up quickly, waving her sister over as she looked back down at where her finger was hovering on the map,

"Come 'ere, Kenz. I think we've worked out how to get the rest of the team here."

"Uh... I thought we were going to leave them in play." She replied.

Bo shook her head, "That was before we found out that the Admiral's Doc was part of this whole thing. We're worried that the Admiral is in trouble, so need to get him off the ship... or at least get the Doc off the ship. General Walker still has friends on the base that can put up a few missions for him before they disappear to save their asses as well. At that point, it will blow the whole thing wide open, but our Fed friends upstairs think they'll be ready to go."

Kenzi came to sit on the arm of the chair next to her sister, "I'd say friends is a loose terms to describe the Feds upstairs, but whatever you say, boss."

Bo looked up at her sister, "Look, Kenz... I'm out of my depth here with this intelligence shit. I'm going to need your help if we're going to pull this thing off. General Walker is upstairs putting things in play with Evony and Ryan, but getting into Washington... that's a whole different ballgame."

Kenzi nodded, "What do you need?"

"Well, first we need something more than signal blocking for these damn trackers. They'll show up any time now if they think they've lost us."

Kenzi nodded, looking up at her new tech buddy, "Martin's guys are putting the finishing touches on the tracking software. We got lucky. The initial chips that were put in are all software based devices, so once they upload an upgrade, the chip will go off line in the usual manner and then, when it comes back online after the upgrade, it will begin broadcasting a fake departure path before zooming in on a new location... in Canada."

"Canada?" Bo asked.

Martin smiled, "We're using the friends we had planned to use when you initially flew in. We're hoping that Tops will believe you've defected and the Canadian Government is granting you asylum. In that way, when the news tells us – and it will since that'll be quite the scandal and quickly public knowledge – that our people are trying to cut a deal with our northern neighbors to get back some people who committed treason, we'll know that they're on to us... well, figuratively, not literally."

Bo looked at Lauren who grinned, "He's good at what he does. Why do you think I hired him."

The brunette smiled and looked at Martin, "Good job, Marty. You really should ask for a raise."

Martin smiled and looked at Kenzi who waved her hands, "Don't even think about it, buddy. No raise until you fess up about how you beat the twelfth level of that robot hooker game."

The tech specialist looked at Bo who shrugged and shook her head, "Don't ask me. Kenzi takes her video game deals very seriously. I'd fess up if you want that raise."

Everyone chuckled when Martin replied that the whole point of a game is to beat it without cheating, otherwise there's no fun in it. After a bit more playful banter between the two, Bo continued,

"Okay, so..."

"Hold up, Bo." Kenzi interjected, "You missed what I said. We still have a problem."

"What did I miss? Software upgrade, new location, Canadian news and bam, we have them."

"I said that the original trackers were software based." She stood and moved towards the room that held Sarah and thumbed over her shoulder, "Miss goodie-two-shoes in there was planted."

"Shit? Admiral Hanes is..."

Kenzi shook her head, "No, apparently Sarah is pissed that daddy-dearest passed her over for promotion, so has been out to get him for a long, long time. She was trying to pin this whole thing on him. He's innocent, Bo. We're trying to protect him as well."

General Flanders nodded, "He didn't know Sarah had gone rogue when we put you on the plane with her Bo. If he had, he would have arrested her right then and there. She came to him, offering her help as a member of the Navy Reserve having overheard a call he was on when she came to visit him in his office in Annapolis."

"Annapolis?" Bo asked.

"Well, he runs Top Gun, but he maintains an office at the academy and was there arranging the op since those phones aren't monitored. There's not too many high rollers there, but Top Gun is loaded with highly qualified pilots who could help us."

Bo nodded, "And are friends of ours." She added, nodding to Hale.

"My boys are ready to go when we are, Bo. Security is apparently 'suddenly' tight with no explanation, but we have all of our players in place and the circle is tight." Hale explained.

General Flanders spoke, "It better be. Sarah was an unexpected element." He turned to Bo, "I know you still feel guilty that she's locked up in there, but Evony did the right thing. Now that the Seal Team's Doc is here, he's keeping her sedated so she doesn't have to go stir crazy being locked up. Evony sent her sister away – things are getting too dicey here and we don't want any civilians around who don't have to be here. Sarah stays where she is for now."

"Not that she doesn't deserve it." Kenzi mumbled, before Bo glared at her to which she added, "What? Why are you defending her, Bo? She almost got you killed! So what? You slept with her! I know you! It meant nothing, so let it go! Geez!"

Kenzi moved her eyes a little to the right and saw Lauren lowering her eyes, her intertwined fingertips were turning white as her grip tensed,

"Lauren, I didn't mean that you..." Kenzi sighed, knowing she had hurt her friend,

The blonde stood, "It's okay. I'm going to go check on Martin's team."

She left the room, leaving Bo throwing her hands up in the air, "Nice, Kenzi. Real nice."

"I'm sorry!" Kenzi pleaded.

"Really? You are?" Bo asked, waving her hand around the room so that her sister would see the faces of everyone who just overheard Kenzi's comments about her sex life.

The room was silent for a long moment before Kenzi sighed and dropped yet another bomb, "What I was saying before about the old trackers... they were originally put in all of the members of the team. One was inserted in me after a mission gone bad in Russia. I was hospitalized for a couple weeks and mine was put in then. But yours..."

Bo looked up, "Mine what?"

Kenzi sighed, "The ships Doctor on the carrier put a new one in you while you were on the carrier."

"I know. The Seal guys told me."

"No, Bo. Yours is new tech. We can't do anything until we take yours out... well, open you up, open up the device, manually insert a software upgrade and then close it and you back up again."

"What?" Bo asked.

"That scar on your abdomen where he supposedly inserted a tube to drain blood from your liver laceration?"

"He said it was a routine procedure." Bo replied, looking at Manes who looked back up at Kenzi.

"The guys showed me your scans. There was nothing wrong with your liver. It was just a bruise. If there had been something wrong with your liver, you would have been airlifted to a hospital where they would have performed surgery. They never would have done that on the carrier. Anyway, he used laparoscopic surgical tools to implant the device in the muscle layers between your abdomen."

Bo reached down and felt the quarter-sized lump on the right side of her abdomen, "He told me it was scar tissue."

Kenzi shrugged, "It's a new, high-tech device."

Bo looked at the resident tech guru, "So, Marty... do you have a solution for me?"

Martin paused for a moment, "Can we speak privately?"

"What?"

"Privacy. The act of speaking in confidence?" He replied.

"Oh... I'm sorry. Your British accent... I... yes, we can."

She stood, "I guess that's all for now, everyone. We'll reconvene to finalize and arrange the timing of the two separate missions after I speak with the other leaders and the trackers have all been... fixed."

She waved Martin towards the basement exit that led to a porch beneath the farmhouse. Rubbing her hands together and placing them under her armpits, she turned to face the man,

"This is as private as it gets around here, I guess."

"Then I'll get right to it. I won't work on your tracker until you and Kenzi both apologize to Lauren."

"Excuse me?" Bo asked.

"I'm quite sure you heard me. Questioning a demand is usually ones effort to think about their response or think of an excuse before replying." He stated in no uncertain terms.

"Apologize for what?" Bo asked.

"You said yourself that Kenzi just offended her. Lauren is my long-time boss, yes, but I have been by her side since she began her company and she deserves better. I have stood by and watched this... this... thing develop between the two of you and said nothing, but... well, to be frank... you are not good enough for her and I will have no problem telling her so if you can't do better by her... and that goes for your sister as well. Lauren accepted her as a friend, yet she seems to forget her feelings with insensitive remarks like the ones she just made."

Bo nodded, "Kenzi... well... she says what she thinks. She always has, and I don't expect that's going to change anytime soon. When she's wrong, she'll admit it, but she'll continue to be a bit brash with her comments. She lacks a filter when it comes to her thoughts, but she speaks the truth."

"Well, the truth can be hurtful."

"Agreed, but... well, what she said... Sarah... it really was just sex. I've never had a meaningful relationship in my life – not like the one I have with Lauren. I don't want to hurt her and believe me when I say that I am well aware that I am not good enough for her, but I want to try, Marty. I really do."

"And could you please stop calling me Marty? It's Martin."

Bo nodded, "Sorry. Martin."

"Thank you. Now, once you get the apology tour out of the way, you let me know and I will have the Seal Team doctor meet me in Evony's little... hospital."

Bo chuckled, "I'm wondering what other secret rooms she has around this place."

Martin smiled, "I'm afraid to ask."

"Me too." Bo replied, "Well, I'm going to go find Lauren."

"Kenzi. Find Kenzi first. She should speak with Lauren before you do." He corrected.

Bo nodded and moved towards the door, but turned back suddenly, almost running into the man,

"Martin. I know that you don't think I'm good enough for Lauren, but... well... my feelings for her... I don't want to tell you how deep they run since I haven't even told her and she deserves to know first but... I want to build a solid foundation with her and then... well, be with her as long as she'll have me. I'm not only new at this, but I'm really, really bad at this. I'm going to fumble things. I'm going to screw up and require a lot of forgiveness, but I'm a quick learner and... well, I'm not in the habit of opening the book that has been my life... but for Lauren, I want to. She's had the benefit of reading my military file and... well, let's face it... my whole life has been about the military, so she basically knows – or can guess from what she knows – everything about me."

"Can you get to the point, General? It's a bit cold out here."

Bo smiled, "Sorry."

"You apologize a lot."

"I know and I'm sor-... is there anything you can tell me about her that might help me?"

Martin looked out at the snow-covered landscape and sighed,

"Speak from the heart, General... and be honest. Put it all on the line and then give her time to process what you say. Don't push her, just give her time. She's a brilliant woman who is very protective of her own heart. It's been broken more times than I care to remember or mention. She'd given up on love until you came along."

Bo nodded, "Can I ask... is this... me and Lauren... difficult for you for other reasons?"

Martin shook his head, "I'm just very protective of her."

"Because you're in love with her?" Bo asked.

Martin chuckled, "I love Lauren, yes but like a brother loves a sister... a very, very close sister. I prefer the more... chiseled... date."

Bo smiled, "I see."

"Yes, I thought you might. So... inside now?"

Bo opened the door and waved him in, "After you, Sir."

"Why thank you, Ma'am."

Bo rolled her eyes, wondering what the hell she was going to say to Lauren.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Martin had taken it upon himself to go check on the tech work while Bo had sent Kenzi to apologize to her. Bo had given Kenzi a few minutes with Lauren, who had diverted her exit from the room to her outdoor thinking spot rather than the tech room. The two had walked back into the house together and then Lauren had gone to her bedroom. Kenzi told Bo that Lauren had been crying and wanted to go lay down and be alone, but the truth was, that every minute Bo's tracking device was active they were all in danger. Martin told Bo that Lauren would understand if she told her that he was holding her device hostage. It wasn't the first time he'd done something like this with one of Lauren's lovers.

Bo was shocked and had asked him if she'd had a lot of other lovers. He had replied that there was only one that mattered... Nadia. She was covering a story about gang violence in Chicago when a stray bullet hit her. She had been in a coma for three months before her family had made the decision – against Lauren's wishes – to disconnect her from the respirator. Since that time, Lauren had apparently thrown herself into her work. Martin had also told Bo that the conflict Nadia's family over taking Nadia off the respirator had led her to political activism within the LBGTQ community. She was a staunch supporter of gay marriage and spousal rights within both civil unions and the marriages permitted by the various states.

Canada already had those laws in place, which was one of the reasons that Lauren had chosen to move the company there after the incident at the Pentagon. Many of her employees were part of the community and she wanted all of their families to be protected should they go through anything similar.

Bo had asked a lot of questions about Nadia, but Martin had essentially shut her down, stating that he'd already told her too much and that she would have to ask Lauren for any more information about her deceased lover. When Bo asked if Lauren would still be with Nadia today if she hadn't died, he had given her a definitive yes. The word almost had Bo walking from the farmhouse ready to make a deal for the lives of her friends with Tops, but Martin reminded her they would never stop until they had covered their tracks. He also added that Lauren had told him just last night that she never thought she would find what she'd had with Nadia again.

Bo sighed, holding her hand up to knock on the door. She pulled it away several times before committing to a double knock. She rolled her eyes at herself for using a military knock before she heard Lauren's strained voice,

"Who is it?"

"It's me."

"I want to sleep, Bo."

The brunette hesitated, placing her palm flat on the door before she spoke again, "I'm sorry, Lauren but it's important. I promise I'll be as quick as I can be."

There was a long moment of silence before the blonde spoke again, "Come in, then."

Bo sighed, reaching for the doorknob twice before she actually opened the door. When she entered the room, she saw a small desk with a laptop and a tall stack of folders beside it. The sweatshirt Lauren had been wearing earlier was thrown on the floor – something that seemed uncharacteristic of the blonde – so Bo picked it up and folded it, placing it neatly between her hands as she entered the next room.

"Hey." She said, placing the sweatshirt on top of the dresser at the end of the bed, "I thought... you might need this."

She watched as Lauren moved to get out of bed, "Thank you."

"Lauren, you can stay in the bed. Really."

The blonde shook her head, "That's okay."

"No, it's really not. You look exhausted and... and upset. Please." Bo moved to her side, pulling the covers back up over her legs as she leaned against the headboard, adjusting the pillows to provide support so she could sit up, "There. That's better. Like I said, I won't keep you."

"What is it, Bo?" Lauren said, her voice carrying a bit of an edge.

Bo sighed, gathering all of her courage. She was going to spill her guts... quickly... and then leave Lauren to her thoughts just as Martin suggested – no matter what the outcome.

"I'm sorry for what you had to hear from Kenzi earlier."

"Bo..."

"No, Lauren. Please, let me say this."

"No, Bo. You listen. It's not what Kenzi said as much as you defending a woman who is part of the group that is trying to kill us all... as in dead, Bo."

Bo sat staring at the blonde for a long moment, replaying the conversation from earlier in her mind until she finally realized that's exactly what it must sound like to Lauren. She scowled, shaking her head,

"I'm wasn't defending Sarah, Lauren... I mean... I was, but... well... have you heard of the Geneva Convention?"

Lauren cocked her head, unsure of where Bo was going with her question, but answered, "Yes."

"Well, the rules of engagement and of prisoner treatment that were agreed upon need to be upheld – even in this farmhouse – even with Sarah. I'm not defending her. I'm playing by the rules – unlike our attackers – because if we do as they are doing, we are no better than them. I am not a monster, Lauren... I never will be. I have been shot down, beat up, tortured and worse. I have seen real monsters in this world, Lauren and I refuse to become the very people that I promised to defend this country and our allies against. I would rather die than stoop to that level."

She looked down at her fingers that were tracing the raised piping on the bedspread and stopped. She didn't even realize she was doing it,

"I won't let her be killed, Lauren. The minute that I allow that, I cross a line that I may never recover from. I'm not defending her... I'm... saving my soul... and the soul of everyone else in this house. I'm sorry if you can't understand that, but I won't compromise my position on that just because you're jealous of the fact that I have previously had sex with her."

Bo kept her eyes down, her face holding the pained expression from her own all-to-frank words. She could have softened that blow. She didn't have to be cruel in the way that she expressed herself to Lauren. She didn't have to accuse her of being jealous. Shit. She should have said it better. She shouldn't have said...

"Bo. You're right and I'm sorry. I am jealous of her... terribly, terribly jealous of her. I will not ask you to compromise your honor. It's one of the things that I admire about you."

The General raised her eyes slowly to the blonde, holding her breath until she saw the sincerity in her eyes. She gave her a small smile,

"I really am sorry, Lauren. If I could take back having been with her, I would but sadly I can't." She was running off at the mouth now and she needed to stop. Still, she hated that Lauren had spent any time worrying about what Sarah was to her.

She looked up at the blonde, "Lauren, I can't control how you feel and I would never try to, but I really wish you weren't jealous of her. I wish you could think of it as... well... she scratched an itch... an itch that had been there for a very, very, very long time."

"An itch, huh? How long?" Lauren asked.

"About seven months? They kept sending me back out on missions, so I never had time to go hang out... socially."

"Wow. That is a long time." Lauren laughed.

"So I take it you've..."

"Scratched an itch of my own?" Lauren asked with a smile.

Bo nodded, to which the blond replied, "A time or two. I mean... I've been single for a long time so... well, Martin forced me to try 'getting back on the horse' as he put it. No one ever clicked... until you."

"Nadia."

Bo saw Lauren shudder at the name, her head snapping up. She lowered her eyes, "Martin told me. Will you tell me about her?"

"I loved her. A stray bullet killed her. End of story." Lauren replied after a long moment of silence.

Bo nodded, "I'm sure there was a bit more to it than that, but I'll wait on the rest of the story for as long as you need. I just... I just don't want to rush us if... well, to be frank... if you're still in love with her."

Lauren smiled, "I loved her more than I could ever put into words. The truth is, I might still be with her today... maybe married to her, even... if she had lived... I thought she was the love of my life."

"Thought?" Bo asked.

Lauren shrugged, "Thought. But she wasn't. She was my first and I was hers. I was starting my company and she was starting her career in professional photography. The truth is, that for the last year we were together, we fought like cats and dogs. She was always putting herself into dangerous situations for the sake of a picture that may or may not end up on the cover of a magazine. It made me so angry, but then she would remind me that she would never tell me how to do my job or complain about the endless hours I spent with my machines."

She paused for a moment, "Then, she went the extra step of saying that I was building killing machines that would kill millions of innocents. I had always thought of them as defensive machines. I guess she struck a nerve and... well, that was when I started building planes specifically to keep our pilots safe. Any ordinances that were used had to be created by other manufacturers. We aren't in the bomb-making business."

"Hell, even I have trouble with what I do sometimes." Bo replied, "But you stayed together?"

Lauren nodded, "We did, but we spent less and less time together. She said that she was nothing more than a mistress to me... that my machines would always take precedent over everything else."

"I'm sure that wasn't true," Bo replied, sitting down on the bottom of the bed near Lauren's feet. She wanted to be respectful of the blonde's space, but wanted to be close to her as well.

Lauren rolled her eyes, "Oh, I wish that wasn't true. The truth is that as time went on, I found myself spending more and more time at work as I became more and more angry with the risks she was taking. I felt that she didn't care about us if she was willing to put herself at risk... so why should I care about us? Of course, when she was gone, I realized why I should have cared... why I should have tried harder to get her to be more careful... to wear Kevlar and travel with police backup as her editor had recommended."

"Why didn't she?"

Lauren shrugged, "She said the pictures would lose their authenticity because the gang members she was seeking a story from wouldn't look the same with a cop standing there. They wouldn't have opened up to her as much. She was talking to a fifteen year old boy when a black SUV did a drive by."

"They shot at her?"

"No, the fifteen year old boy. He was a dealer who had been skimming a little off the top for himself. The head of the gang caught him and put a hit out on him."

Bo frowned, shaking her head, "You know, I fight so people can live and they kill each other anyway. Sometimes I wonder what I'm fighting to protect when I go into battle."

Lauren leaned forward and placed a gentle hand on Bo's, "Average people who are trying to help to make the world a better place."

Bo nodded, "I guess."

She sat quietly, staring at Lauren's hand on her own. She wanted to move her fingers... she craved the blonde's touch, but she came here to be honest and Lauren may not be ready for what she had to say. She sighed, looking up at the blonde,

"So, how are you now?" Bo asked.

Lauren smiled, "Like I said, after Nadia died, I wished I would have done more to keep her safe rather than trying to keep her out of harms way. There was a safer way to do her job. If I had focused on that instead of keeping her from her passion, she may have been more open to my ideas."

She looked up at Bo, "I would never try to keep you from active duty, Bo, but I will continue to work as hard as I can to make sure that the aircraft you fly in are as safe as possible."

Bo nodded, "A real team effort."

"I'd like to think so." Lauren replied.

"We do seem to make a good team." Bo said.

Lauren nodded, "We do."

Bo gave her a smile, "So, I have some other things I want to say to you, but I'm very short on time. I have to go have this tracker cut out of me and..."

"What?" Lauren asked, pulling her hand away and sitting up straight again.

Bo stared at her empty hand. She missed the warmth of the blonde's touch, "Oh, sorry. I forgot you weren't in there when we talked about that."

"What's going on?" Lauren asked.

"Apparently when I was on the carrier, the ship's doctor implanted the latest version of the tracker in my abdominal wall. What I was told was scar tissue from laparoscopic surgery on my supposedly lacerated liver was actually the new tracker. They have to open me up, open up the tracker, manually upload new software and then close up the device and me again. They have to do it before they can update any of the other devices. Well, they have to upload all of the software simultaneously because..."

"It will look like everyone has stayed and you alone have left. If they see you alone, they may come after you."

Bo nodded, "Yea, something like that."

"So, surgery, huh?"

Bo nodded, "The doctor that just came in with the Seal team. He's going to do it. Evony's got a small hospital down there, so he said it will be a piece of cake. Evony is planning on surrounding the property while they're doing the surgery and Kenzi is planning on being in the room to make sure he doesn't screw with me."

Lauren nodded, "I heard Evony sent her sister the nurse home. Does Kenzi have surgical experience?"

"No, but she has a big gun." Bo laughed.

"What good will that do if you go into cardiac arrest? We've already acknowledged that these people are ready to die to complete their missions. Sarah was proof of that."

"True, but we don't have a surgeon on our team." Bo replied.

Lauren sighed, "Actually, you do."

"Who?" Bo asked.

"It's a little known fact, but I actually graduated from high school at fifteen, college at eighteen and medical school and my internship at twenty three. I started my residency at the Veteran's Administration hospital, specializing in biotech that would replace the limbs of soldiers. I began focusing on the technology and engineering part of it and, after another year of putting broken bodies back together, I'd had enough. I wanted to be part of the solution, but just didn't have the stomach for all of the death, so I thought I could contribute by building better planes to avoid pilots being shot down than putting them back together after they'd crashed."

Bo smiled, "And that's why you're so obsessed with making sure that your planes are safe. It's not just Nadia."

Lauren shrugged, "I was twenty-four when I was at M.I.T. finishing up the courses I hadn't taken via my biotech degree to get my engineering degree. Once I'd finished it, I'd gotten a job and started my degree in architecture."

"How in the world..."

"Nadia died and... well, I became a bit obsessed with work... and research... and... well, knowledge in general, General." Lauren laughed at her own little joke.

"You're... amazing... and brilliant and that is one of the things that I absolutely love about you - among so many other things." Bo said, taking the blonde's hand.

"Love?" Lauren asked.

Bo smiled, fumbling with the blonde's hand as she felt the blush fill her cheeks. She looked up,

"Yes, love. I am unsure about so many things that are happening in my life, but the one thing that I am absolutely certain about is that I am deeply in love with you, Lauren Lewis. I am curious about what you think, what you want, what you dream and what you feel. I want to be with you and protect you every minute of every day. I love you enough to stand by your side – or let you go if it's what will make you happy. I love you absolutely and unconditionally."

Lauren sat, stunned into silence, her mind aware of Bo's hand in her own, but her mouth unable to form any words in response, as her brain played the words over and over again.

"I don't expect you to say anything in reply. I just wanted you to know, Lauren. I needed you to hear those words from me so that, well, obviously, if I don't survive this or my sister sticks her foot in her mouth again or you have any doubts... that you would – you know... know. I wanted you to hear and see those words coming from me directly so that you could hear the conviction I hope I conveyed in my voice."

Bo shifted closer and gave Lauren's hand a squeeze. The stunned blonde looked down at their joined hands and then back up at Bo who slipped a loose strand of hair behind her ear,

"Lauren, I don't expect anything from you. There is no pressure here. I want whatever you want when you want it. Just know that - and I know I've told you this already, but it begs repeating - I am willing to wait until you are ready to decide what you want from us. I just want you to know that I'm not Nadia. I will never stand in the way of your happiness and I will never have any expectations of what our relationship should be. I haven't done relationships, so consider me a blank slate waiting to create the terms of our relationship together."

She looked down at their hands, "I know you didn't like the danger involved in Nadia's job and it sounds like my job is an awful lot like a return to the situation you left, but I hope that you know that with my promotion, I won't have to be in harms way as much. I mean, if I don't end up in a military prison, that is..."

Bo chuckled nervously as she quickly added,

"...And I want you to do what you love. I want your days to be filled with what makes you happy. If that means I have to come to your mad scientist labs and rocket silos to have dinner with you, then so be it. I mean, I'll have plenty of late night calls in my work as well. As a Brigadier General, I'll likely be expected to live on base or near where I'm stationed depending on where I'm assigned, and I can be moved as Top dictates, but... well, if that is something you think we could work out, then... well, I'm willing."

Bo spoke faster, "But, well, the bottom line is, I'm willing to sacrifice and compromise to do what I have to because some kind of life with you is better than none at all, Lauren Lewis. I love you and I want a real shot with you."

The brunette leaned in and kissed the blonde's forehead, "I know this is a lot to take in, so I'm going to leave you with your thoughts. You take your nap and I'll see you after my surgery. Just... I mean... in case..." Bo stood, gripping Lauren's hand with both of her own, her thumbs tracing the long slender fingers, "I love you. Just know that... feel that... believe that. Okay?"

She looked at Lauren who looked up at her and nodded, still at a loss of what to say before Bo smiled, "I'll see you soon."

The doctor watched as Bo left the room. She continued to stare at the doorway until she heard the door close. Her mouth hung open as her eyes traveled to her hand, still remembering the warmth of Bo's skin against her own and those three words... I love you.

"She loves me." Lauren said to herself, "She really loves me."

Her mind raced on instant-replay until one word stood out in her mind,

"Surgery."

She jumped from the bed, quickly running into the bathroom to splash some water on her face before toweling off and running back into her bedroom to pull on some jeans and a t-shirt. She pulled her hair up in a bun and then rushed into the bathroom again to scrub her hands up to the elbows – almost violently – making sure they were as clean as possible. She then ran to the outer door, using her elbow to press down the handle and exit her room. She ignored the shouts that came from Evony and Ryan as she rushed to the basement, fumbling with the door between her elbows. She jumped over the last three steps and jammed her foot in the door of the surgical room that was beginning to close. Looking up she saw Martin, who smiled and said,

"Took you long enough."

"Glove me." She said, earning a smile from her friend.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _I'm Bo Dennis. I've been ejected from jets at Mach 3, shot and tortured, so as a brand new General I can't very well whine about a little surgery, but damn does my back hurt. Okay... I'm just going to lay here, feigning sleep until the pain passes... shit... it's not stopping. It feels like someone did a fucking archeological dig on my liver. Wait, am I laying on my stomach? If they opened me up at the abdomen, why am I laying on my stomach? What kind of quack Seal Doctor did they send? Was Lauren lying about being an almost-doctor? Dammit I wish I was on my back!_

"Bo?"

 _Shit. That was Lauren. I don't want her to see that tear that just escaped from the corner of my eye when I tried to adjust my position. Shit! Why the fuck does everything hurt so much? I really wish I were lying on my back. There's so much pressure on my abdomen._

"Bo Bo?"

 _Dammit. Kenzi too. She will really have a field day with my ego if she's the watery eyes. O.M.G. I told Lauren that I loved her. Did I say I was in love with her? She could never love someone who's a complete and total whimperella when it comes to pain. She's so composed and determined and controlled and strong and... and geez, I sound like a love sick puppy. I'm pathetic is what I am - a pathetic puppy. Wow. Two p's - I'm a poet and I don't know it. What the hell is wrong with me? Anesthesia, right? Yea, that's it. They must have used anesthesia. Why? They were going to use a local pain killer. Shit. Maybe the doctor was another bad guy. Did Lauren do my surgery? How romantic. Her first surgery since the death of her not-soul-mate. Poor Nadia. Okay, so I know I should feel bad for her considering how she died, but why on earth would I feel sorry for someone stupid enough to go into gang territory without any combat training? Okay, now I'm just being mean. What the hell is wrong with me?_

Lauren tapped the brunette's shoulder, "Bo! Wake up, Bo. Come back to me."

 _Awww... she wants me to come back to her. I didn't go anywhere, lover. Wait... she's not my lover... not yet anyway. But damn how much I want her to be my lover. The things I'd like to do to that incredible body of hers are not things I can discuss in public, if you know what I mean. You? You who? You're talking to yourself, Bo. Wait. Why aren't I waking up? Open your eyes. Come on, Dennis. They promoted you to General for crying out loud. You have to be strong enough to open your eyes._

"Come on, baby. Open those big brown eyes for me." Lauren said, seeing some eye movement beneath Bo's eyelids.

"Oh, gag. Come on, Doc. I'm right here and I'm gonna vom if you keep saying sickening stuff like that."

"Kenzi..."

"I know, I know, foot in mouth again. I'm sorry." The younger sister replied.

 _Dammit, Kenzi! Lay off of her. Hey, wait. Lauren called me baby – and she likes my eyes. I love her big eyes too. I love her whole face. I love her neck. It's long and slender and I would just love to place kisses all the way from behind her ear to her... well, as low as she'll let me go. I mean, we're taking it slow outside of my head but that doesn't mean I can't head down the speedway inside of my head, right? Fantasies are perfectly healthy, right? Speaking of healthy... my back and my abdomen are killing me. Wake the hell up and ask for some pain meds, Bo. Wait... no pain meds. Lauren's here. Be strong, Dennis._

Lauren placed a gentle hand on Bo's shoulder, "Bo? I need you to wake up, sweetie. Please, Bo. You're scaring me. You should be awake by now." The blonde watched as the pilot's eyes began to twitch, slowing opening partially, then closing, then opening again. She still looked a bit hazy.

"Bo?"

"Wha. L-Lauren?" Bo asked, trying to focus on a face that refused to stop morphing into strange shapes, "What the hell did they give me? You look – you look like an alien."

 _Great Bo. Apologize. Sorry, Lauren. No, Bo. Apologize out loud! Speak! What's wrong with my tongue?_

Lauren frowned, shaking her head, "An anesthetic called Xenon... well, it's rarely used in surgery anymore. It's more commonly used in making rocket fuels but Evony didn't have a general anesthesia and when we didn't find the tracker where intelligence told us it had been placed, we did a scan and found that it was near your kidney and not your liver, so..."

 _They cut into me twice. That's why I feel like some prehistoric worm tunneled through my abdomen and out my back._

"Bo? Talk to me, sweetie."

 _Awww – she called me sweetie. Damn I love this woman. Okay focus. Speak to her, Bo. Tell her you heard and understand everything she said. Come on, mouth!_

"I hear you - kidney, not liver and you operated on my back not stomach. I feel like a damn truck ran me over."

"I'm so sorry, Bo. The local and general anesthesia being used in combination is having an unexpected effect." Lauren explained, feeling horrible that she had taken part in making the decision to use the two drugs together.

"It's on me, BoBo." Kenzi said, "We had to make a move. Our Seal buddies upstairs needed us to appear moved a-sap."

Bo tried to push up and onto her back, but Lauren stopped her, "No, Bo. Stay where you are, please."

"Lauren, with all due respect, I can't lay here like this. My abdomen hurts from the pressure of laying on my stomach and this position is never comfortable because... well, never mind, it's a long story."

"She has a bad back." Kenzi said, motioning to the scars on her sister's back.

Lauren frowned, but gave the younger sister a quick nod. She approached Bo, trying to keep her eyes from wandering to the deep scars on her back. She sighed, knowing that Bo would tell her when she was ready – if she ever was. Lauren had heard her loud and clear when she'd told her she preferred not to talk about the past events of her missions,

"How about lying on your side, would that be better?" Lauren asked.

"Anything is better than this position, honestly." Bo replied, beginning a slow roll onto her side with Lauren's assistance.

"I don't want you all the way on your back because the deepest incision is there. I can place a pillow beneath your midsection to give you a little support for laying on your side."

Bo nodded, so Lauren helped to slip a thin pillow beneath. She flinched when a sharp twinge of pain came and went as she relaxed into position. Letting out a sigh of relief she smiled at Lauren,

"Thank you. That's much better."

Lauren sighed at the weak smile she was given by the brunette and watched as she soldiered on through her conversation with her sister,

"Did it work?" Bo asked.

Kenzi nodded, "Sure did. We can safely make our way to Canada two weeks. That's when all of our people will be safely across the border with Lauren and Martin's friends. Then we'll go to Annapolis once everything is set."

"Annapolis?" Bo asked.

Lauren and Kenzi smiled, "That's where the charges are being brought – at the Department of the Navy rather than the Air Force. Most of the accused are Air Force, but Evony is worried that if we walk in there, we'll all be arrested before she has a chance to bring the charges."

"How high up does this go? Has she said yet?" Bo asked.

"What, the Secretary of Defense isn't high enough for you?" Kenzi asked.

Bo shook her head, "I mean, are there any other agencies or military branches involved?"

"Navy and Air Force is all I've heard from her. They're keeping it tight and that's the right thing to do. They don't want to contaminate the trail of evidence." Kenzi explained, "I would do the same thing, Bo."

"Contaminate – what the hell does that even mean?" Bo asked.

Kenzi replied, "It's a long explanation that you don't need to hear right now. You need to sleep and heal. For now, let's just say that it means what we don't know can't hurt us."

Bo nodded, "Fine. I guess that makes sense."

"Definitely. I've been in a lot of courtrooms working for intelligence, BoBo. When it comes to details of a case, the less people that know, the better our chances of getting a conviction on all counts." She replied, "Okay. You two stay here and relax. I'm going to go check on my techie friends and tell Evony they can go back to the regular perimeter checks, right?"

Bo nodded, "But ask General Walker and General Flanders just to be sure. I'm not in any condition to make decisions right now. Is there anything that doctor can give me to help me with this sleepy feeling... and the pain?"

Lauren nodded, "I read that they've had some success using ADHD medications to help people post-op. I can ask the doctor about that, but for now, the sleepy feeling is fine, Bo. It's what you need. I'll ask about pain meds, but I know we don't have much here."

Bo watched as the blonde suddenly turned to walk away. She wasn't ready for Lauren to leave yet, so she reached out and gripped her wrist, cringing at the pain, "Don't go."

Lauren felt her heart break at the tone in Bo's voice. She turned, looking down at the firm grip on her wrist, twisting her hand so she could press her fingers in between the brunette's,

"Hey. I was going to go see about your meds."

Bo nodded, "I just... can you just stay for a little while."

"But don't you want me to help you with the pain?"

"You being here does help with the pain." She replied giving Lauren's hand a gentle tug, asking her to sit on the bed beside her.

Lauren smiled and carefully climbed onto the bed, leaning back against the wall. She held up her hands for Bo to lay her head on her lap. The brunette settled in,

"This is actually a perfect position." Bo sighed.

"I have one bag of ice. Do you want it on your front or your back?" Lauren asked.

"The back. My back really hurts."

"It was deep, Bo, and Martin discovered that it had a sensor wire that would alert them if it was removed. They had to open it while leaving it imbedded in the muscle, repair it and then close it again. Of course, we also had to dig around to find it first. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, Lauren. I don't blame you. I just thank you for being there so if that guy turned out to be Doctor Evil, he couldn't hatch a plan to take me out while under the knife. If I'm going out, I want it to be in battle."

Lauren nodded, "Well, what do you say you stick around long enough to give that relationship you talked about a real shot. I'd hate to end up in this alone."

Bo looked up at the doctor, "Do you mean..."

Laughing, the blonde nodded and replied, "I love you, Bo Dennis, and I want to sacrifice and compromise with you, too."

She leaned down and captured Bo's lips in a soft kiss, stopping before it got out of control, "Now, let me go get those meds for you. I promise that after you take them, I'll sit with you until you fall back to sleep."

"I don't want to sleep now." Bo replied.

"Well, I do since I skipped my nap for your surgery. How about after you take the pain killer, I'll pull that other bed over here next to yours, and we can both take a nap. When you wake up, if the doctor agrees, we'll try those ADHD meds if you still feel you need them."

Bo nodded, "I think I can get behind that plan, Doc."

"By the way, congratulations on your promotion to General if I haven't said it." Lauren said, standing up.

"Thank you. Now hurry back." Bo replied.

Lauren kissed Bo on the forehead and rushed off to find the Seal Team's doctor. She had a hot nap date to get back to with the woman she loved.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Lauren's arms were wrapped around a sleeping Bo who had her head on the doctor's abdomen, while not far from their bed stood the entire Seal Team, staring at them.

"What are we doing, Specter? Are you going to wake them up or not?" Haus asked, pointing to the two women.

"When the General sent us down here I didn't know they'd be... like this." Specter said, running his hands over his short hair and interlocking his fingers behind his head, "Dammit."

"Well, wake 'em up, Boss." Spider encouraged.

"Spidey, don't rush him, man. This is like... awkward." Specialist Jones snapped, swiping at the other man.

"She's a General wrapped in the arms of her lover. Damn straight it's awkward."

Specter shook his head, "Yea, well all of you guys gawking at them is even more awkward. Damn, guys - General Dennis just had surgery. Doctor Lewis was probably just consoling her when they both fell asleep. They said she was in a lot of pain. They had to dig deep to find that tracker."

Bug laughed, "I don't care if she is a General. Two women in bed together is still sexy as hell. Especially two fucking hot women."

"Damn Bug! Show some respect and put your damn eyes back in your head! She's our fucking superior!" Specter reprimanded.

"And dude, adjust your damn pants! No one wants to see that shit!" Haus said, shaking his head at the young soldier, "No respect for his superiors."

"She's not Navy." Bug replied, pulling at his pants in frustration.

"That doesn't matter and you know it. She's our superior, period." Haus replied, "Dude, they should have called you Boner, not Bug."

"We considered it." Laughed Spider.

"Uh, excuse me? Do you mind?" Came a voice from the bed.

Specter turned towards the sound of Bo's voice, "Ma'am. Apologies for interrupting but General Walker..."

"Colonel Dawson. Do you mean you're sorry for gawking at a superior officer?" Bo replied, groaning when she moved too quickly to rise and ended up gripping her side in pain.

Lauren stirred and immediately checked the pilot's incision, before turning to see the group of men in the room.

Bo sighed, looking at Lauren and then back at the group, "Sorry. Apparently we've drawn an audience of the pervy and unwanted variety."

"Ma'am, I apologize for Bug..." Colonel Dawson began, but Bo waved him off, turning to the younger soldier.

"Bug. How'd you get that name?" Bo asked, already having an idea from the bits of conversation she'd heard before she'd allowed the men to know she was awake. The pain had made sleep difficult, but being in Lauren's arms and hearing the relaxing sound of her heartbeat had been enough to at least help her relax.

The man blushed, looking at Specter who scolded his subordinate, "Bug, the General asked you a direct question."

He looked back at Bo, "Ma'am. Bug is short for bug-eyed. I tend to... gawk... at uh... pretty women."

"Well, I'd prefer to be able to be on duty with you and not think about what creepy fantasies you may be having about me and Doctor Lewis."

"Ma'am, yes Ma'am." Bug replied, standing at attention.

"At ease, soldier, now if you don't mind, we'll need a minute to get ourselves together." Bo replied, shooing them from the room, but Dawson remained,

"Ma'am. The General asked that we come down and give you an update. There's no need for you to get up."

"Well, from now on, I'd kindly ask that if you have an update for me from my superiors, that you deliver the message yourself and not bring your entire damn platoon to my bedside."

"Sorry, Ma'am. We've sort of been sticking together. We're the outsiders here and..."

"Let me guess. Evony."

"I've had my experiences with the woman, so expected as much, but she's proving particularly difficult on this assignment. She doesn't trust us Ma'am and we've been having a bit of a conflict with access to intelligence. Apparently she is only concerned with protecting her witnesses and..."

"Yadda, yadda, yadda... same old Evony. I'm well aware, Colonel. Just see me or one of the other Generals and we'll keep you in the loop as needed."

"As needed Ma'am?" Bo replied.

Bo released Lauren to stand, her eyes following the blonde while she simultaneously frowned rubbing the warm spot where the blonde had been. Lauren moved across the room grabbing two glasses of water and returning to hand one to Bo before she sat in the chair beside her. Bo took a long sip of water, enjoying the way it felt on her dry throat and then returned her attention to the Colonel,

"Hey, you just showed up on our doorstep, remember? We don't know you and have no idea if you were actually sent by the Admiral or someone else. Right now, we have you here with us because we don't know what would happen if we kicked you off the property. For now, we want you where we can keep an eye on you."

"Actually, I forgot about this..." He reached into the side pocket of his utility pants and handed Bo a small black chess piece, "... from Admiral Burke."

Lauren turned, curious as to what the soldier was giving to Bo, who looked at the piece, turning it over to see the bottom. She raised her eyebrows when she saw two letters, "G.S."

"He carved those letters into the piece while we were standing in his quarters." Specter explained, "Does it mean something?"

"Yes. To me it does." Bo replied looking up at the Colonel, "I'll keep you in the loop, Specter. Now, if you would give me that update?"

"Right." He said looking at Lauren.

"You can speak in front of the Doctor. She's part of our team."

"Of course, Ma'am. No offense, Doctor Lewis."

"None taken, Colonel." Lauren replied with a polite smile.

He turned his attention back to Bo who was slowly dragging herself upright against the wall, her hand pressing on her side.

"Those young airman of yours - Stevie and the rest of that group? Well, apparently they've just finished piecing together two years worth of conversational recordings and they link a bunch of suspicious deaths of Air Force personnel all the way to the top. Evony had her people take the General of the Air Force into custody and he's spilling his guts."

"General Simmons? He was... he was my Dad's friend! He's the one that talked my Mom into allowing me to join the Air Force... to allow Kenzi to..." Bo replied, before composing herself in front of her subordinate, "He wanted us in the Air Force. He needed us in the Air Force to complete his mission."

"I must have been such a disappointment until they figured out how to get me into the Secretary's office with Military Intelligence." It was Kenzi who spoke, "The Dennis sisters are the grand pawns in their long game."

Bo and her sister shared a long silence together before Bo asked the Colonel, "What else?"

"I'm afraid this isn't just about the Dennis family. Evony found that the Secretary of Defense was the then-General who ordered the silencing of any and all military personnel involved in not only the X-2 project, but all of the failed planes that are in the new-Project Resurrection. They started the new project to bring all of the children of people who had been involved in the old project back together again. You had all been investigating the deaths of linked family members at one time or another."

"Wait, wait, wait a minute! Who lost their parents?" Bo asked.

"Obviously you and your sister, but also Rage, Papa..."

"I know the pilots that are involved in Project Resurrection. We all work together. But did all of us lose parents to the old project?"

"Not just parents, General... family."

"Who? I mean... Tamsin never told me anything about..."

Specter interrupted, "Did you ever think about her call sign? About why she flies angry?"

Bo thought for a moment, "No, I didn't. I just..."

"...Assumed she was just an angry person? She's angry because her Uncle was killed in a military test plane when it was supposedly hit by friendly fire. He was in the very same XB-70 Valkyrie that's she's flying now. Papa Santiago lost his only brother in an engine explosion while flying in the..."

"Let me guess... flying in the F-35 Lightning II." It was Lauren who spoke, "My Father had all of these pilots in the new program... my program... reunited with the planes that killed their family members. It's like he was trying to create his own sick form of poetic justice."

Lauren shook her head, hanging it over the trashcan in the corner of the room, "I think I'm going to be sick."

"So we know who and what, but why? Why kill all of us?" Bo asked.

"They feared you were the whistleblowers that would bring them down." Specter explained.

"Whistleblowers? What information did we have? Just that our family members were killed in bad planes? Isn't that the very definition of danger in the test pilot business? Why cover it up?" Bo asked.

"That's the information we don't have just yet. The Feds are, with each family members' permission, gaining entrance to the original homes to look for hidden intelligence that the deceased may have hidden somewhere."

Bo chuckled as she nodded her head, "So General Walker and Evony sent you down here to ask us if we had any information about this supposed intelligence?"

Kenzi added, "Listen, Ghost or Specter... whatever you want to be called... what exactly are we supposed to know? We were just kids when our Dad died."

The Colonel shook his head, "You were a kid, but the General here was old enough to have picked up conversations or stories."

Kenzi looked at Bo who searched her memory for anything that her Dad may have said or done. Everyone sat, staring at the brunette. A small clock on the wall ticked away the seconds, then minutes while they all sat watching while Bo carefully climbed out of the bed to walk gingerly around the room, occasionally stretching her side a bit.

Finally, Lauren spoke, "Colonel, would you mind terribly giving the General some time to think privately. I believe it's obvious that she is not going to come up with anything right this minute. It's been a long time and I'm sure that both she and Kenzi will have many memories to comb through."

The doctor stopped short of mentioning that some of those memories would be painful, but she had no doubt that Bo would comb through every single one of them if it meant nailing those guilty for her Father's demise.

"Yes, of course, Doctor. I'll pass that on to the General and the Special Agents. They'll continue to do what they can and I'm sure that the rest of the pilots from your program will be searching for anything that will aid the investigation."

"Thank you, General, Doctor... Special Agent Malikov." Specter said, giving Bo a casual salute, which she returned with a sort of distracted, half wave, half salute from her brow.

Kenzi and Lauren watched as Bo continued towards one of two small, dirty windows. Nothing could be seen from the inside or the outside, but the brunette stood there, nonetheless, staring at the bright light coming through the window. She turned, suddenly, towards Kenzi,

"The tree house."

"What about it?" Kenzi asked.

"Remember how Dad used to tell us he was checking the tree house for ghosts every once in a while?"

Kenzi nodded, "Yea and we used to tell him there was no such thing as ghosts."

"That's right, so why would a Father check a tree house late at night after coming home from base if his kids weren't afraid of ghosts to begin with?"

"And all the late nights he spent adding on to it?" Kenzi asked.

"The sandbox, the mailbox... shit... the basement!" Bo exclaimed, drawing a wide-eyed Kenzi into the memory,

"He wanted us to have a secret hiding place. A place where if bad people ever came we were supposed to run and hide."

Bo concluded, "The entrance was in the woods. I'd be more than willing to bet that whoever the new owners are of that house, they never would have found that entrance."

Turning a little too quickly towards the stairs, Bo gripped her side and leaned into the surge of pain.

"Bo, be careful." Lauren came to her side, "You need to lay down. It's too soon for you to be up and moving around like this."

Kenzi watched as Lauren helped her sister to the bed, "Bo, I'll go up and tell Evony. She's keeping NCIS out of the investigation for now just because of their military connection, but she has all of those friends in the FBI. She'll get them over there in an hour to start checking it out."

"Do you remember where the entrance was?" Bo asked.

"Fifth maple tree in, four birch trees to the right, three boulders deep into the forest, two giant hops and a step to the left." Kenzi smiled.

"You were supposed to sing it." Bo laughed.

"Well, I'm sure the Feds would miss the humor in doing that, so I'll just give them the directions on a map." Kenzi replied, heading up the stairs to deliver the information.

Bo looked up at Lauren, "I hope we're right."

Lauren took Bo's hand in her own, "Well, while the hunt is on for intelligence, why don't you take another little nap. Sleep will help you to heal."

Bo smiled, "Will you nap with me again? I think you're the best medicine, Doctor."

Lauren half fell onto the bed, but stopped short of falling on the brunette for fear of tearing her stitches, "I'm not technically a medical doctor... not anymore. I allowed my license to lapse."

"Uh-oh, sounds like I might have to threaten to sue." Bo smirked.

"You would sue your girlfriend?" Lauren asked.

Bo smiled, "Is that what you are?"

Lauren blushed, her brows knitting together as she considered the question, but Bo was quick to rescue her, "Because I certainly hope that after all we've said to each other that it's a given."

The smile that stretched across Lauren's face made Bo smile as well, "So about that lawsuit?"

Bo laughed, "I wouldn't actually sue you for operating without a license if..."

Lauren giggled, "If what?"

"Hmmm... well, that remains to be seen, but I'll start with a kiss."

"That sounds a lot like blackmail." Lauren said, kissing Bo softly on the lips.

"I'm not above using any tools at my disposal to get what I want." Bo laughed.

"Oh? And what is it you want, General?" Lauren asked.

"You." Bo smiled, pulling Lauren fully onto the bed beside her, "You and only you."

She ran her fingers along her jaw and up behind the blonde's ear trailing her lips behind her fingers until she placed a final lingering kiss in the dip between Lauren's collarbone and neck. She slowly made her way back up, allowing her eyes to gaze into the big brown eyes of the woman she loved and leaned in, her lips grazing back and forth over the blonde's before capturing them in a firm, yet soft kiss.

Lauren moaned into the brunette's mouth as the kiss deepened and legs intertwined until Bo flinched, a streak of red-hot pain searing through her incision,

"Shit." Lauren said, pulling back and lifting Bo's shirt to check the incision, "Dammit. It's bleeding again."

"It's okay. Come here and give me some sugar." Bo said, puckering her lip and leaning in towards the blonde again, but Lauren wasn't giving in.

"Bo, this is serious." She said, pulling the dressing from the wound, "I'm going to have to re-suture part of this."

Bo groaned, "Come on, Lauren. Can't we just make out for a little while longer? I miss your lips."

Lauren laughed, "Sutures first, making out... maybe tomorrow."

"But that's a whole twenty-four hours away! What will I do until then?"

The doctor brought a suturing kit to the bed and pulled on a pair of gloves, "I'm working in a basement that barely has a sterile field and my patient is only concerned with making out instead of healing so she can take down the conspiracy that killed her Father and left her Mother a widow. Do you see anything wrong with this picture?"

Bo laughed, "Yes. The part where I'm concerned with making out and my Doctor slash girlfriend isn't."

"You are incorrigible, Bo Dennis."

"But you love me anyway."

"Yes, I love you." Lauren conceded with a sigh, "Now hold still. Please. This is serious, Bo. If anything gets into this wound, you could end up with a massive infection and we barely have any antibiotics left after having to pump them into you during surgery. Can you tolerate lying on your stomach for a bit?"

"Not completely. Is this okay?" Bo pulled a pillow beneath her chest and rolled onto it so she was almost fully on her side, but the incision on her abdomen wasn't touching the bed.

"That will work." Lauren said, swabbing the area with alcohol to Bo's displeasure before sitting on the bed and beginning while Bo watched.

"You know, when we performed the surgery... on your back... I was a bit... shocked by..."

"The scars?" Bo asked.

Lauren nodded, "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

Bo sighed, "I guess they're probably pretty gruesome. I wouldn't know since I can't really see back there. It was a long time ago, so I usually forget they're there... I mean, unless I'm... you know... with someone. But then, I tend to stay in a position that hides them. I've always kept my encounters quick and often kept my shirt on to prevent the discussion. I don't really like to talk about it." Bo admitted.

"Sorry." Lauren replied.

"No, Lauren. I didn't mean you and... well, I'm sorry to bring up sleeping with anyone else." Bo rolled her eyes, "I keep doing that. I'm sure it's not something you want to think about."

Lauren gave her a tight smile, "It's okay, Bo. We both had other experiences before we met. We're not college kids anymore. We're adults who have needs that we both took care of... more or less."

Bo nodded, "I guess I just hate that it seems like I was the more and you were the less. Honestly, I wish I'd met you in high school... that you were my first and last. I mean now, I can't imagine letting anyone else touch my body."

Lauren chuckled, "Well, I'm certainly happy to hear that."

Bo smiled, deciding it was probably best to say nothing than try to reply to that. Of course, she hoped that Lauren felt the same. She just had to stop bringing up sex. It clearly made Lauren uncomfortable to talk about but somehow they seemed to segue into it pretty frequently.

She cringed a bit when the blonde hit a particularly sensitive spot. Holding her breath, she waited for the pain to pass before looking back down at her girlfriend again. Girlfriend... now there's a word she never thought she'd hear herself say – aloud or otherwise.

She couldn't say she was uncomfortable with it. As a matter of fact, she quite liked the title... especially since she quite liked the title associated with Lauren who had used it first. She couldn't say it out loud since she'd had absolutely nothing to do with her success, but she was proud of the name Lauren had made for herself in a mostly male-dominated field. The woman was brilliant and Bo didn't need to know all about the various degrees she had to know it.

Still, as she watched her work, she couldn't help but think that the medical field had missed out on the genius that was Lauren Lewis. She could have saved millions of lives over the course of a career in medicine. If she'd applied the problem-solving efforts to curing diseases that she applied to building aircraft, we'd probably have a cure for cancer by now.

"Okay then, you're good to go. Let me just cover this again, and then you're going to take it easy, you hear? Doctor's orders."

Bo nodded, "I'll behave."

"Damn right you will. I'm going to sit over there in that chair just to make sure." Lauren replied.

"Oh, come on! I promise I'll just lay on you and take a nap. Honest. Girl Scouts' honor." Bo said, trying to make the appropriate sign with her hand.

"That's the Vulcan greeting for live long and prosper. You were never a Girl Scout, were you." Lauren laughed.

"No, guess not, but I still promise." Bo replied, laying back down on her side and smoothing the empty spot beside her, "Please?"

Lauren laughed, crawling back onto the bed, "Fine. But I'm only going to lay here for a little bit. I need to go check on Martin's progress with the tech stuff."

Bo smiled and snuggled into Lauren's chest, enjoying the smell and warmth of her body. The blonde laughed, "I never imagined a General in the Air Force would be so needy."

"Hey. I just had surgery. They apparently dug into two places and they dug deep. Then this really hot doctor lured me into popping one of my sutures. All this with no painkillers. I'm entitled to a little neediness."

Lauren laughed, "Wow. You've been through a lot. You poor baby."

"I know. I really shouldn't be left alone and you should also remember to give me kisses as often as possible."

"Kisses, huh?" Lauren asked with a chuckled.

"Kisses. I hear they help soldiers heal after battle."

Lauren laughed, "Well then, I'll have to remember that. And here I thought laughter was the best medicine."

"Believe me... laughing does not help when you've got sutures in both your abdomen and your low back. It tends to help you pop your sutures." Bo replied.

"Sleep." Lauren said, smiling at her girlfriend who closed her eyes. She ran her fingers through the black strands of hair, hoping to sooth the pilot's mind and body with the gesture. She just wanted peace for this woman she loved... peace and closure.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Farmhouse... ten days later...**_

Bo entered the room, moving somewhat gingerly, but she was happy to be up and feeling somewhat normal. It turned out that Lauren had good reason to worry. Infection had set into the incision around the tracker and they'd had to open Bo up again to clean it out when Kenzi noticed the tracker was malfunctioning. Luckily, Bug and Haus had been able to get two rounds of antibiotics with a nice computer hack of a local pharmacy and bring them back for Bo. It made all the difference in her recovery.

Both Lauren and the Seal Team surgeon had given her a clean bill of health now that the incision had begun to close up. She still had to be careful, but she was feeling more like herself. Everyone had gathered for dinner as Evony instructed. She had some big intelligence report to give and she only wanted to do it once.

She took her seat and looked around, wondering where Lauren was when General Walker came into the room with General Flanders by his side,

"The perimeter was clear. It looks like we should be able to make it out of here tomorrow. Only about twenty-four more hours to get through."

Bo gave him a small smile and a nod in response, "Do you know where Lauren is?"

General Flanders nodded, "She's out in the barn with the other techies. They're putting the same software into the GPS systems of the planes that Kenzi developed with Martin for the trackers."

"I still hate that those damn trackers are still in us. I'm constantly worried that they're going to do a software update of their own and catch us messing with them." Bo said.

Kenzi laughed, "Oh, BoBo, do you really think your brilliant little sister didn't think of that? We used their previous updates to copy the code they used and then..." She saw her sister's confused look and stopped her planned speech, "Never mind. Just trust me – they're not going to know we're messing with them. Of course, it would help if we got outta here sooner than later."

Bo nodded, "Yea, well you don't have to tell me that twice."

"Good. Then I won't." Kenzi replied, taking a seat next to Bo, "Is the Doc still out in the barn with the other geeks?"

"Other geeks? You're a geek."

"Yea, but I'm a cool geek. There's a difference." Kenzi replied, grabbing a roll and butter from the center of the dinner table.

The conversation was light and easy with the last of the group arriving over the course of the next ten minutes. Finally, everyone was seated when Evony entered the room, putting the final elements of their dinner on the table.

"So, Martin, Doctor Lewis? Are the planes ready to go?"

Martin nodded, "Planes are fueled, GPS systems are updated and – barring any unforeseen snowstorms tonight – the runway on the back side of the large barn is ready to go."

"Good. Colonel, how was the last perimeter check done by your team?" Evony asked Specter.

"All clear, Special Agent."

"Hale and Kenzi, any sign of the rest of the pilots?"

Hale shook his head, seeing that Kenzi had taken another bite of her bread, "Not yet, but they're not due for another forty minutes or so."

Evony nodded, "Okay then. Let's eat. The report on the family properties is in, so I'd like to talk about that after dinner.

Bo looked at Kenzi and then Lauren, "They found something on the properties?"

"Excuse me, General Dennis, but I believe I just said we'll discuss those findings after dinner."

"Really?" She said, looking at the other Generals, "And who put you in charge of when we get information that impacts our lives and our families?"

"That's an ironic statement coming from someone who has no family left to worry about."

Kenzi and Lauren were just quick enough to grab Bo's arms as she launched herself at Evony across the table, "You fucking bitch! Let me go! Let me go!"

"Bo. Bo!" Kenzi said, drawing her sister's attention, but the brunette just shook her head at Kenzi,

"How the hell can you stay so calm when this bitch says shit like that?"

Kenzi laughed, "I consider the source, Bo. As for who gave her the power, you were out of commission with that infection, so the Generals felt it best to hand the investigation over to the Agencies since they have access to information we don't have. The FBI, CIA and the Department of Homeland Security are all involved now. A lot has changed since your surgery Bo. it's not just NCIS and Air Force Special Investigations."

Bo looked across the table at General Walker and General Flanders. The look of betrayal was obvious to both men, but neither spoke until the brunette was about to say something to them. At that point, General Walker found his voice,

"Bo, we are watching Evony's every move and Ryan is Air Force Office of Special Investigation, so he is monitoring her communications and other work as well. It's best if she handles this through NCIS until the FBI, CIA and Homeland take over."

"But I thought she was already working with the FBI." Bo asked.

"I'm NCIS, General Dennis. But yes, I have friends in the FBI, CIA and Homeland, and have been using them to keep information out of military channels. Fortunately, Ryan has more friends in the DOJ and your sister is crucial in helping us to know who we can trust there. We need manpower for these far-reaching investigations and using outside agencies is helping us to cover a lot of territory more quickly."

"Whatever. I just want to know what's going on and I don't want to wait until after I eat. I think we've all waited long enough to know what happened to our kin." Bo replied, frustrated.

"But we slaved over a hot stove for you." Evony said, sarcastically, spooning a few ladles of stew into Bo's bowl and handing it across the table to her, "Here, you haven't eaten for days. Your blood sugar is low and it's making you grumpy."

"Evony." Ryan warned.

"What?" She replied, "I'm just looking out for one of my witnesses."

"Yea, right." Bo replied, putting her spoon down and folding her arms over her chest.

Lauren leaned over and whispered in her ear, "I know you don't want to hear this, but you really do need to eat. You're also dehydrated. I could barely get any fluids into you over the last ten days. You slept an awful lot and you've had next to nothing to eat. Please, Bo. You're going to need your strength. Things are going to get a bit hairy from here on."

Bo looked at Lauren and melted at the sight of the pleading eyes her girlfriend was giving her. She sighed and turned back to the people sitting at the table. The Generals lowered their eyes and began to eat and as much as Bo wanted to follow through on Lauren's request, she just couldn't sit and eat with these people... well, with Evony anyway. She didn't like taking orders from anyone and doing things on this woman's timeline, constantly being kept in the dark about things that involved her life and those closest to her was just unacceptable.

She sighed, "I'm sorry."

Everyone watched as Bo stood from the table, picking up her bowl, spoon and a glass of water before leaving the room. Kenzi and Lauren both went to stand, but General Walker spoke up,

"Please, ladies. Sit and eat. I'll go. This is my doing." He stood and took his bowl and glass, following Bo into the living room.

Evony chuckled, "Everyone caters to that Air Force brat, don't they."

It only took a moment, but suddenly, everyone stood from the table, grabbing their bowls and glasses before following the General. Ryan stopped, standing over Evony as he spoke,

"You know, you've been a bitch since this whole thing began. You seem to forget one very important thing while you're focused on your own self-importance."

"And what's that darling?" Evony asked with a smirk.

Ryan stood determined as he pointed to the other room, "Those people... every single one of them... and I dare include Martin and the Doc in that group... would take a bullet for you without a second thought. But yet you insult them and demean them every chance you get. You're so concerned with your perfect case record that you're missing the reason we do the job. Why are you even here?"

He paused for a moment, picking up a roll for his plate before he continued,

"You went from Jag to NCIS. You've never seen the front lines in your life – I'm guessing thanks to rich parents who kept you out of the fray. That woman in there... Bo Dennis... she's a genuine war hero who lost her Father to the animals we're chasing. The fact that you can't show her any respect means that you are not deserving of ours. Enjoy your meal amongst all of these empty chairs, Evony. Just remember... while you're sitting here alone... that is a family forming in there... a family you could be a part of. It's a family not born of blood, but of common ground, common belief and common purpose."

He turned to walk out, but stopped and turned back to the woman, "Mind you... you're standing on the same ground as the rest of us... but your behavior has led to you not being invited to our table."

He turned and walked away, leaving the Special Agent to the empty table and chairs, hoping that maybe she would see the error in her ways.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Bo sat down and dug right into her stew. It was true... she was hungry... and thirsty as hell, but she really wanted to know if they had found anything in her backyard. If she could have had one wish granted, it would have been to be the one to go back there and look around herself. She didn't like the idea of complete strangers – especially Evony's strangers – going through what could potentially be her Dad's stuff. What if Evony really was a spy and was just waiting for exactly this type of intelligence to land in her lap? She was also worried that so many different agencies were involved in the searches. What if the wrong information got to the wrong person or people?

Well, if Evony was bad, then it was only a matter of time until they were all dead. If the wrong people got the intel from the last generation family members, that was it. They would destroy the evidence and they would all be killed to close up the case. Why didn't anyone else see that?"

"Ysabeau? Mind if I sit down?"

"Sir?" Bo asked, looking up to see General Walker standing there with his meal, "You know I'm not going to say no to you, Sir... especially when you call me Ysabeau. That means we're about to have one of those father-daughter-type conversations. More specifically, you're about to tell me I'm wrong."

"Putting Evony in charge was the right move, Stick. I stand by my decision."

"Yea, well have you considered what happens if Queen Bitch out there is one of them?"

The General nodded, ignoring the large group that walked into the room and quietly sat down,

"I have and if she is, then I'm sure you're concerned that she would now have all of the evidence. Case closed, kill all of us and Tops gets away with it."

Bo half laughed, "Well, I'm glad you've thought that through. For a minute there, I thought you might be losing it like General Green."

She looked up to find Lauren sitting across from her, the look on her face at her statement leading Bo to apologize,

"I'm sorry. That statement was out of line... for many reasons." Bo said looking at Lauren, then the General.

General Flanders shared a long glance with General Walker before both men looked around the room. Finally, with a final at each other, Flanders turned to Bo,

"Stick, we didn't get to where we are today dropping our collective guard, so please – insult our intelligence no further."

Bo frowned, making note to herself that her previous outburst had done exactly that, "You're absolutely right, Generals. My apologies to you both. I trust you – both of you – with my life and the lives of all of these people who have come to the table in this effort. But with all due respect, being kept in the dark has become somewhat of a theme song in my life and like any song, when it plays on repeat for too long..."

"You get tired of hearing it – or in this case, not hearing a new song."

Bo nodded, "I don't expect you to disclose things that will jeopardize our security, but – well, can you throw me a bone here?"

General Flanders smiled, "I can do more that. Please – eat. The doctor is correct. You look like you've dropped ten pounds of muscle and we all know there could very well be a battle ahead when we move."

Bo went to speak, but the General cut her off, "I promise, I can multitask. We can all talk while we eat."

"Thank you." Bo said, lifting her bowl of stew and taking a bite out of the bread.

"We have our own people shadowing Evony's every move, Bo. Lambert is very well connected and so is your little sister. Trust us when we tell you that nothing is getting taken anywhere without copies – or at least photos – of every document being taken. We insisted on the CIA, FBI and Homeland assuming control of the investigation because we didn't trust Evony. Her file doesn't add up and while that doesn't mean she's not on the up and up, her behavior – especially towards you – is less than... military."

Bo nodded, turning to Kenzi when she spoke, "Lambert told me that Evony went from Jag to NCIS. She never served a day in battle, so I had my peeps do some checking. She seems clean, but she definitely had daddy dearest pulling the puppet strings high up the chain to keep her out of harms way through her career."

"Maybe she's jealous."

Everyone turned to where Stevie was sitting by the fireplace downing his stew as if it was his last meal. When the room went silent, he looked up to see everyone staring back at him,

"What?"

"Jealous? What does that even mean, Scoop?" Tamsin asked.

"Ma'am, the way I see it, she feels guilty that she's never been in battle – that her fancy parents got her out of active duty and she climbed the military ladder the easy way – I mean the desk job ladder, but she climbed anyway. I mean, you don't get the top desk in the Washington NCIS office at her age unless someone's pulling strings."

"Or you're bedding the right person." Bug blurted out.

Haus slapped the man hard on his back, "Just once I'd love to hear a comment that has nothing to do with sex come out of your mouth, you perve."

Bug looked up, his eyes catching Bo's, "Sorry."

Bo looked at Lauren who couldn't help but cover her mouth to hide a small laugh before they both turned their attention back to Stevie,

"Like I was saying General Dennis here, gets all of the accolades because she's worked her way up and the Special Agent gets nothing. She strikes out at her because she can't do anything about her hero status."

Bo frowned, "Don't call me that."

"Sorry, Ma'am." Stevie replied, lowering his eyes.

Tamsin looked at Bo and the Generals, "He's got a point there."

"Maybe, but she really is a bitch – a spiteful, vengeful bitch."

Everyone turned to see Lambert standing in the doorway, "What do you say I bring everyone up to speed while we eat?"

Bo smiled, "I would really, really appreciate that. Does anyone mind continuing this working dinner?"

"We invaded your dinner party, BoBo, not the other way around." Kenzi offered, "We could have stayed in the kitchen if we didn't want to hear the update while we ate."

Everyone gave Bo a thumbs-up, so she turned to Ryan, "Please. Talk to us."

"Okay then. Here's what we know..."

They all listened while Ryan told them the latest. It took quite a while and there were many questions, but in the end, they were all up to date and ready for the next phase of their mission... tomorrow they would depart the farm and head into Federal custody with all warrants in place.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Bo's Bedroom**_

"You seem tense. Everything is moving along exactly as we wanted, BoBo. The briefing told us everything we wanted to hear and we're out of here tomorrow. Why are you so uptight?"

"Kenz, I've been having this dream and it won't leave me alone."

The younger sister lay down on the bed, "Malikov's counseling services is open for business."

Bo laughed, moving to sit next to her sister on the bed, "We get attacked... I try to get to Lauren, but..."

"She gets killed?"

Bo only nodded.

"Wow. That's rough, but you heard what Lambert said. They're rounding up the all of Generals over the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours."

"Yea and it's that time that has me worried. What if they send out one last ditch effort to take us down while they still have control over our military? No doubt they smell this coming and have strike teams in place and ready to go at a moment's notice."

Kenzi nodded, "I still can't believe that the top Generals of every military branch are all in on this."

Bo put her knife its sheath on her hip, before checking for other small items in her other pockets,

"It sounds like General Marshall didn't wait a minute once he was in the position of Secretary of Defense to put his minions into play to do this cover up. They all have their hands dirty, so they all have a vested interest in bringing us down. I just wish the Feds were taking them all out at the same time. I thought those guys were all about coordinated efforts."

Kenzi nodded, "They are, but I'm sure the Secretary isn't making things easy for them. We've all been AWOL for too long and the news had us arriving in Canada day before yesterday. By now they must know we aren't really there. By the time we actually are, they'll be here trying to find us."

Bo nodded, "Unless they're here tonight before we leave for there. I just don't understand why we're not leaving now. Why wait? We're sitting ducks here."

"You heard Ryan. They have to make sure the air space is clear. We're moving a lot of planes all at once, Bo."

"Yea, but we could be moving them at targeted intervals starting tonight rather than all at once tomorrow. Most of those planes have stealth capability. All we have to do is get across the border. The red tape of us landing without permission would keep us in Canada long enough to bring all of the Tops in while we're safe on foreign soil... well, under arrest probably, but safe."

Kenzi laughed, "That's strange, ain't it? We're safer on foreign soil than on our own right now?"

"How about it." Bo replied.

"Did you hear that?" Kenzi asked.

Bo nodded, putting a finger to her lips and turning out the light. She opened her top dresser drawer and pulled out her side arm and three clips of ammo, tossing them to Kenzi who was peering out the edge of the window.

The younger sister whispered, "Three teams on this side. They're moving to surround the house."

"That means there's probably a fourth team on the north side of the house." Bo said, pulling out the P-90 that Evony had given all of them. She tucked a clip into each side pocket of her pants before motioning to Kenzi to follow, "Where's your P-90?"

"In my room."

"Okay, gotta move fast. Follow the plan. Go for your weapon and knock on doors as you go telling them to arm up. We travel in pairs."

"Right, Tamsin's with you in Lauren's room."

"Right. You get to Hale and meet us in the barn. Everyone should be there. We've drilled this, Kenzi. You ready?"

"Rodger that, Sis. Let's do this." Kenzi said as the two quietly exited the room and parted ways, heading along the walkway that overlooked the lower living space. As they moved, they called out to the house the preplanned code word for just this type of event,

"Movie night! It's movie night!" The code word had been Kenzi's idea, but right now Bo was not just grateful for having made everyone do drills for this moment, she was also very thankful for the open design of the farmhouse.

She finally arrived at Lauren's room where the blonde was standing just inside the door, her eyes wide with fear. Bo pushed into the room just as she heard the breech happen downstairs. She placed a finger over Lauren's lips as she listened to voices calling out to one another.

"Shhh."

"Bo."

She placed a finger over Lauren's lips before kissing them soundly, "Where's the weapon we gave you?"

"Bo, I'm not going to kill anyone."

"You know anatomy and you've done great at the firing range. Aim for something that won't kill, but will take them out of the fight. We've talked about this Lauren. It's them or us."

Lauren nodded, slowly reaching behind her and pulling out the sidearm she was given as Bo handed her the Kevlar vest she was given.

Tamsin entered the room and closed the door carefully behind her, "How many?"

Bo tore her eyes away from Lauren, "We think four strike teams."

Tamsin nodded, doing the math, "Four man teams, so about sixteen? Probably Seal or Special Forces."

"Great." Bo said as they all dropped to the floor at the sound of one blast, then two.

Tamsin smiled, "That's two of the four grenade trip wires set up by our night shift, so hopefully they're down at least one team if they were all in formation."

Bo nodded before she helped Tamsin lower a tall dresser in front of the door. They then both moved to their respective windows, Bo looking at the doctor, who was grabbing her medical bag and backpack from beneath the bed,

"Lauren... Kevlar first, then grab that down jacket. We're not coming back. Do you need both bags?"

Lauren nodded pulling on the vest, as she spoke quickly and nervously, "The backpack has all of the tech gear we need for the trackers and to contact our Canadian Allies. The fanny pack has the medical gear in it that we'll need if the Seal Team's doc doesn't make it out."

Bo nodded while Lauren pulled on her coat and then strapped on the two packs. Gunfire erupted near the stairway,

"Hopefully that was our side being very impolite to our guests." Tamsin said, pulling up the zipper on her jacket and hooking her P-90 to the clip of her Kevlar vest.

"Let's just get to the rally point." Bo said, moving to the window and looking out, "We're clear."

"Bo, I..." Lauren began, but Bo shook her head,

The brunette took the blonde by the shoulders, "We're going to do this just like we planned it, okay? Tamsin's going down first. She'll cover you and I'll follow. Then we all run for the barn. It's easier for us to defend ourselves there, but we have to go now. You know what happens two minutes after the drill starts, right?"

"She knows, so let's hurry it along. Please?" Tamsin watched as Bo lowered the rope that was attached to the leg of the bed.

"Go." Bo said, waving Tamsin out of the window.

The blonde slid down the rope while Bo covered her from up high.

"Bo." Lauren said, but Bo kissed her hard,

"Go, Lauren. There is no time for fear. You go or we die."

The blonde's eyes filled with tears as she slipped one leg out of the window and gripped the rope before awkwardly sliding the other out.

Bo covered her while the strike team began pushing on the door, the dresser rocking back and forth under the stress. Just as Lauren hit the ground, gunfire came into the room, bullets ricocheting off the walls. Bo quickly dove towards the other window, landing hard before standing up and throwing a lamp through the glass. She worked hard to pull the sheet from the bed, tying it off to the dresser leg just as she saw a large hole form in the top of the door above the dresser.

"Please let this work – and please let that knot hold."

She wrapped the sheet twice around her arm before she hurled herself out of the window, falling the distance towards the ground. She gripped the sheet as tightly as she could, waiting for the hard tug that she knew would be coming when she ran out of length. When it came, she felt her hands burn as they slid the length of the remaining cloth, her stitches ripping on her side before she hit the ground with a thud.

"Bo!" She heard Lauren and Tamsin say together as they rushed to her side, helping her off the ground.

"We've got to go." Bo said, waving them both towards the barn and taking a few steps herself before she dropped to her knees, gripping her side. She reached under her vest, immediately feeling her hand get sticky and wet, "Shit."

Tamsin turned and ran back to her, yelling to Lauren to run, but the doctor ignored her, running back to Bo as well. Seeing blood she grabbed for her med kit, but an arm gripped her hand and spun her around. Tamsin's eyes were fierce as she spoke,

"Do you ever listen?"

Lauren shook her head, pulling her hand free, "No. I'd think you would know that by now."

"You die, Bo will kick my ass now come on!" Tamsin scolded the doctor as she tried to lift Bo's arm over her shoulder. The brunette screamed in pain.

"She's bleeding again." Lauren replied.

"Field medicine, Doc. Move first, treat later. We gotta go!"

The two women helped Bo up, each throwing an arm over their respective shoulders before running as hard as they could for the barn while dragging the wounded pilot. They were barely inside when a massive explosion knocked the three of them to their knees. They turned back to see bodies on the ground struggling to stay on their feet while the house burned behind them.

The three women scrambled to their feet, moving the rest of the distance to the barn, immediately going to the tunnels that would lead them to the airstrip behind the structure. The only question now was, who else from their side had survived the explosion?

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_


	6. Chapter 6: The Sortie

_**A/N:**_ _Sorry for the incredibly long delay. Work dominated my life for these last months and I had to take the opportunity to vacation and clear my head to get back to some sense of normalcy. Hopefully, this chapter finds you all well and ready for a long read. Hopefully it will keep you busy for enough days for me to put together the final chapter. There's a touch of blood and gore in this chapter since it's the battle. Best wishes for fun and relaxation if you're enjoying summer. Hoping for mild temps for those dealing with winter snows. Cuddles_

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Chapter 6: The Sortie**_

Quietly closing the barn door, General Dennis turned and looked at the exhausted group, "Okay, we'll have to move back into the tunnels again soon, but we're safe for the moment. All verbal communication should be kept to code as discussed from here on out. Call signs only, we clear?"

She surveyed the room, and acknowledged the collective nod from the group,

"Good. The least we can do is make it harder on them. Let's see if they did their homework on each of us."

"Excuse me, General. My team wasn't briefed on call signs. We were on rotation last night during that meeting." Specter alerted the officer in charge.

Bo nodded, "Right. Sorry, about that Specter. Let's get the introductions done then."

She turned to Evony and Ryan, "That's Queen B and Romeo. Lauren is Sketch, Martin is Geek, Chief Ellison is just Chief and you should just ignore his burns – his words, not mine. He's being monitored by Sketch – her orders, not mine."

She turned to Kenzi and Hale, "That's Spitfire and Papa. You know that I'm Stick and Tamsin is Rage. You've met Stevie over there – his call sign is Scoop and his partner in crime is Airman 1st Class Jonathan Ross, call sign Tracker. They're the first two of our four stellar witnesses. The rest of the group includes those two guys with the bad burns." Bo pointed at the two men on cots on the other side of the center of the barn.

Specter smiled, "These younglings obtained the unauthorized recordings of the heads of the military?"

Bo nodded as Stevie and Jonathan stood a bit taller, "Yup. So they're at the very top of our VIP list."

"Who are they?" Haus asked, pointing to the burned soldiers.

Bo's voice took on a solemn tone, "They are Airman 2nd Class Earl Barley and Airman 2nd Class Bud Lancing, call signs Ears and Eyes, respectively."

He scratched his head, "They gonna make it? I mean... well, what I wanted to say was... can we move them?"

Bo didn't look at Lauren. She was well aware that Doc had reluctantly agreed to move them, but Lauren had protested strongly. Doc had replied to the blonde and then an argument ensued until the Doc pulled the experience card. Bo had felt terrible at the apparent humiliation on Laurens' face at his remark, so had simply remained silent when Doc assured her that if moving the victims was absolutely necessary to ensure the missions' success, that they could be moved with as much caution as was possible.

"Uh... Stick?"

Tamsin's voice and the firm nudge pulled the General from her thoughts. Bo looked up to see the blonde roll her eyes before she nodded towards Specter. The brunette cringed,

"Apologies. I was exploring some options, but to answer your question, yes they'll make it but they need medical attention to do so. Doc says they can be moved with great caution and only as needed to ensure the missions' success. They're in a great deal of pain which is why they're giving them scheduled morphine injections but when that's gone, they're going to wake up... loudly."

"Screaming in agony, got it." Haus replied.

Specter nodded, "So we're hauling them to the cargo plane a-sap, I suppose?" Specter asked.

Bo nodded while Specter turned his attention towards the tunnel entrance. Pointing towards the dark opening, he asked,

"And the two guys that are with Geek working on the plane?"

Bo nodded, "They're the software engineers who are going to keep us invisible. Call signs Bit and Byte."

Specter nodded, "Final question, what about the three pilots that are missing from the Project Resurrection crew?" Specter asked, "We need their testimonies, yes?"

Hale answered, his tone somewhat neutral as he worked to keep his emotions in check, "Panther, Tiki and Boner. They jumped in front of the Generals when the first blast went off not far from them. I don't know if they made it out after the collapse. Wrench is missing too."

Haus added, "We're missing Bug. He went after that Basement Bitch – and yes, I'm dubbing that her call sign. She's one reason we're all in this mess."

Bo smirked, "Sounds good to me, but that could be a problem if the strike teams went after her. They would surely have captured Bug hoping to get information on our plan."

Specter nodded, "No way. He won't talk. He did nine months in a hole in the ground in Iraq and never gave up anything before coming right back to active duty. He knew the risk of staying behind to try to save her. Bug may be a bit of a perve, but trust me when I say there's no soldier you can trust more with information, General."

Bo shook her head, "We'll wait as long as we can, but everyone needs to understand that we don't have a lot of time and this entire case is based on Queen B having witnesses to testify. If we see enemy movement coming this way, you're all boarding the planes and taking off without hesitation. That is my final order."

"Roger that, Stick." Specter replied as everyone on his team nodded in agreement, "Queen B, you've got a weapons stash for us?"

Evony nodded with a wink, "Come with me, boys. I've got toys for all of you in my silo and I guarantee satisfaction to everyone who enters my silo."

Specter shook his head before looking at Bo who rolled her eyes and nodded for him to follow the brunette. Bo then turned to check on Tamsin. Her friend had moved to busy herself with prepping the massive XB-70 Valkyrie that towered over them in the barn,

"How's that rigging going to work opening the upper barn door?" Bo asked the blonde.

She called down to Bo, "It'll work or I'll drive this baby right through the damn barn wall to get out. We don't have enough planes at the end of the runway for all of us, so I'll do what I've got to do." Tamsin smirked, "She's an all-weather plane, built by your beloved Sketch, so I'm thinkin' she's built to handle a little barn blasting."

Bo laughed, shaking her head before walking back towards Kenzi,

"Spitfire, work this through with me."

"What's up, Stick?" Kenzi asked, watching her sister sneak a peek through the crack in the wooden panels of the barn.

"It's too quiet. I don't like it." Bo said, pulling back to look at her sister, "I don't think it's possible that the blast got them all. Talk it through with me."

Kenzi nodded, "Okay, well they came in like intelligence assault teams. Normal strategy would leave at least one team outside the house."

Bo nodded, "I agree. Chances are they had a perimeter group unless they were short handed. Tamsin and I only saw three teams. We assumed a fourth came in the front door."

Kenzi nodded her agreement to which Bo asked, "Do you have any additional information on the strike teams that entered the house? We saw three coming in the back."

Kenzi added, "I was at the front with Papa and we only saw one team of five. They're faces were covered so I couldn't recognize any of them if they're from my world. So far there isn't any sign of anyone out there." Kenzi replied, maintaining a ready position with her weapon pointed out the broken window.

"Okay. Well, stay alert while I check out our other groups."

"You've got it boss." Kenzi replied, turning to Hale in the window next to hers and gave him a nod.

He responded in kind before laying his forehead down onto the black gunmetal and heaving a big sigh.

Kenzi whispered to him, "I know that you've gotten really tight flying with Panther, Tiki and Boner. I know this is hard, but they're gonna make it." She reached out to Hale and placed a hand on his shoulder before turning her attention back to her duty.

Hale smiled at the raven-haired girl, "Thanks Spitfire, but I'm not so sure about that. The Queen B said that they were standing in front of Top One and Top Two when those first two assault teams hit the C4 trip wires."

"Neither Tops would have left them behind." Kenzi countered.

Hale shrugged, "That's if they didn't get taken out by the fall."

Nodding, Kenzi questioned, "How was a simple C-4 explosion that big? I mean, the two of them were far enough apart that it shouldn't have taken out the basement floor."

"Yea, well apparently Queen B doubled up on each trap."

"Talk about overkill." Kenzi moaned.

"Unless she's trying to take us out as Stick suspects. Notice that four of six fell through the floor? Was it just coincidental that the two that managed to stay above the basement were the two very Special Agents, Queen B and her Romeo?"

"Relax, Papa. I highly doubt she would keep Romeo alive if she was trying to take us down. He does have wings, after all."

Hale shrugged, "True. She has to take out every fly girl and fly boy if she's taking us down. Of course, she hates the Navy so much, she'll probably try to drown me." He added in a mumble, "Damn disloyal NCIS agent."

Kenzi chuckled, "You can't drown a mariner. I saw what you guys go through in basic. And here I thought they tried to drown us!"

Hale smiled before his eyes caught sight of some movement in the basement, "I wonder if the Basement Bitch is still alive."

"Well, if she is, I guarantee the teams that came in after us will free her and take her with them."

"Did you see that movement in the basement window?" Hale asked.

Kenzi nodded, "Been watching it for the last couple of minutes - too tall to be the psycho basement bitch. Sort of looks the right size to be Tops or Wrench."

She and Hale both turned and eyed Tamsin whose eyes were filled with concern as she scanned the land for any sign of Manes and the rest of the missing personnel.

Kenzi looked up to see Bo walking over, folding a flip pad over and circling a name on the list. Kenzi asked,

"What's the status, Stick? And please tell me you have a beat on where Wrench is because if he doesn't make it out, Rage is gonna go supernova. So please tell me that boy is hauling ass to the airstrip or hiding somewhere that's not inside the house we just blew up."

Bo nodded, looking over at Tamsin who had her P-90 up, using the scope to look for signs of life coming from the house.

Bo shook her head, "Other than the fact that we're missing Wrench, Top One, Top Two, Panther, Tiki, Jones and Bug, we have a broken rib, three facial lacerations, and Chief has some really bad burns. Sketch doesn't want to move him, but I told her we're not going to have a choice. He'll have to go in the transport. Other than that, all's well."

Kenzi looked at the scowl on her sister's face and came to the real conclusion, "So Sketch wants to go with Chief to take care of him instead of flying out with you."

"Yea and I don't like it one bit." Bo snapped, angrily.

"Stick, she'll be fine with you flying cover." Kenzi insisted.

Bo released a heavy breath, "I know."

"So Perv is missing? How's his team doing?" Kenzi asked.

"His name is Bug and they want to go back in to clear out the missing, but I want to wait it out another few minutes. Queen B has another armory in the silo next door, so she's going to lead them over there to get them armed up." Bo explained, "If we don't see a team coming out soon, I'll let them go back in while we ready our rides."

"No pre-flight, I take it."

Bo shook her head, "No time, not to mention the sound of all of those turbines firing up at the same time is sort of a dead giveaway. Still, Geek's people are good. They've been working on those planes non-stop since we made it to the tunnels. I trust them. The planes will start, take off and fly just fine."

Kenzi nodded, "Uh... you didn't mention landing?"

"Ha. Ha." Bo replied, "I said I trust them and I meant from take off to landing."

"Yea, but I know you trust Wrench and Chief more."

Bo frowned her reply, "It is what it is."

Kenzi nodded, "I just hope the engines start. It's like the friggin' Arctic out here. Have they thought about the temperature and engine flight without a warm up?"

Bo shrugged, "I think they are fully aware that the Arctic Ocean is only about five clicks away, K-Star."

Kenzi chuckled, "I still like that call sign better. It's too bad they wouldn't let you give me my sign."

Bo smiled, "Yea, well I was still a rookie pilot. I didn't have the clout to give anyone a call sign back then."

Nodding, the younger sister laughed, "And look at you now. Stars on your shoulders and shit."

"I know, right? Who'da thunk it?" Bo smiled.

The pair was quiet for a long moment before Bo said,

"Sis, I'm going to need you to fly that F-15 out of here if Tiki, Panther, Bug and Wrench don't show up soon. We can't leave a plane behind for those DOJ guys to use to follow us."

Kenzi nodded, "Whatever you need, Stick."

"When was the last time you flew?" Bo asked.

"I was actually in an F-16 last week. I'm good. I'd tell you if I wasn't." Kenzi admitted.

"Good. That's good." Bo replied, her eyes scanning the room before turning back towards the window, "What's going on in the basement?"

Kenzi shrugged, "Hale and I have had eyes on that action. Not sure."

Bo's eyes went wide, "That's men from the strike team. See the yellow blur?"

Hale adjusted the scope on his weapon, "I see it." 

Kenzi nodded, "Shoulder patch gold."

"That's right. They're helping Basement Bitch. I count three."

"Roger that." Hale replied, watching carefully as the shadow in the window moved and dipped.

"It's time." Bo said.

"But the others..." Kenzi began, but Bo shook her head, effectively cutting her off,

"I'm not letting anyone else get killed or captured. You'll go with the others. I'll wait thirty minutes and then head out right behind you." Bo replied.

"No. We stay together. We came in as a team, we go out as a team. This isn't one of your solo suicide missions. You have help." Kenzi emphasized, but her sister countered,

"Evony has no case without the witnesses in this barn. I have to get them out... for the case... for Dad."

"Yea, well don't forget that you're a witness, too." Kenzi argued.

"I don't have half the intel that the rest have. Someone has to make sure that they get to the rendezvous point. Let's face it, Kenzi. I'm expendable on this mission." Bo replied.

"That's them talking. They spent years convincing you that every mission they sent you on was for God and country – the two things that mattered more than you. Well, newsflash, Stick! You matter to me, you matter to Sketch, and we were never a church-going family. Mom believed in Smith and Dad believed in Wesson and that's that."

"Kenzi..."

The younger sister cut Bo off, shaking her head as she continued, "You sure as hell matter to Tamsin who may have already lost Wrench, and if he's alive, you sure as hell matter to him... and Hale and the Generals and... well, to everyone here. Remember – all of these people followed you into battle. They believe in you and they believe in our fight." Kenzi urged her sister to consider.

Bo sighed in frustration, shaking her head as her hands balled into fists, "Kenzi, I am not doing this dance with you. I'm the ranking officer and I say everyone clears out."

"Yea, well it's a good thing I'm not military anymore, huh?" Kenzi replied, "I don't take my orders from you."

Bo spun on her sister and snapped, "No, you take your orders from the Secretary of Defense who happens to be the giant a-hole that has put us in this position to begin with. It's amazing that you've been working with this guy for as long as you have and never noticed he was a fucking traitor!"

Kenzi nodded, "Oh, that's right. Blame the victim."

"Victim?"

The younger sister's anger reared its head, "Yes, victim! Why is it that you believe you're the only one that has been used? Why is it that you have yet to realize that the same a-hole you're talking about pulled me from the military to send me on missions I had no right surviving?"

Bo was stunned as she stared into the eyes of her younger sister, seeing the truth of what she was saying, "You didn't..."

"Tell you? Of course not! God and country! I spouted the same company line you did for my entire life!"

Bo shook her head, "But we have no secrets..."

Kenzi laughed, "Seriously? Everything we do has top secret written all over it – quite literally! Of course we have secrets. Why on earth would either of us tell the other about the fact that we were taking missions that would get us killed?"

Bo nodded, remembering all of the times she had double checked her will to make sure her sister was taken care of before a high-risk deployment, "They've been trying to kill both of us."

"Well, welcome to the party, General." Kenzi said, sarcastically.

"Fine. You stay, but everyone else goes." Bo said, turning away from her sister.

"I still say this needs to be a team decision. You always said that if you ever ranked out at General you would never be the dictator. You said you would always hear everyone out. Well, look at who you've become." Kenzi spat.

Bo shrugged, "Yea, but I wasn't a general then and didn't understand the responsibility that comes with putting people in harms way."

"Responsibility or guilt?" Kenzi asked.

Bo sighed, "Both, I guess."

"Yea, well you have to remember that no one can make you feel guilty but yourself. We're all big kids, Stick. Everyone will make the decision to stay or go on his or her own merit. Give them the choice." Kenzi said, noting the mellowing of her sisters' argument.

Bo relented, "Okay."

Kenzi smirked, "Wow. I won that round in record time. You must be getting soft."

Bo rolled her eyes and marched off towards the rest of the group to explain her plan, leaving her sister to pump an airborne fist in triumph. She turned her attention to Hale, who shook his head,

"What?" She asked.

"Undermining her authority already?"

"What? No, of course not. I just..."

"Listen... I'm just saying that your sister has been alone and doing things her way for a very long time. You've had your show and she's had hers. This show... it's Sticks, whether you like or not. I'm just suggesting that you let her lead... play the back up for a change."

Kenzi chuckled, "Since when am I ever the lead?"

Hale laughed, "You weren't actually assigned the leader, but you've been arguing with her at every turn since you landed on that airstrip back in Vegas, lil' mama."

"No I haven't! I..."

Hale shook his head.

"I just..."

Hale turned away from the petite brunette and looked out across the fire-scorched land between the barn and the hollowed out farmhouse,

"You tell yourself whatever you need to so you can sleep at night, but I gotta say that I'm a little disappointed that you're not more sympathetic to the weight your sister has been carrying on her shoulders all of these years. You left the Air Force for those Washington asshats while she has stayed here and clawed her way up the ladder..."

He turned to look at Kenzi,

"...and before you say anything, I'm not trying to take anything away from your accomplishments. I'm just saying... well, she's a General now, Spitfire. Those soldiers are hers to command. You're asking her to allow them to choose to march to their deaths under her command even though she knows better. She knows she commands their loyalty on reputation alone, but she doesn't want that. She doesn't want more death. She wants to see justice for her Father – your Father."

Hale paused for a long moment and watched patiently for the expression on Kenzi's face to morph into acceptance from anger and denial. After a short while, he was satisfied that she'd listened, so continued...

"Stick signed up for the Air Force, upped her training every chance she got, flew every crazy mission they asked her to fly, and pushed the envelope to this very moment to get her day in court. She will lay it all down to know that Jack Dennis was cleared, but she doesn't want to lose more lives to do it. There's been enough death in her life, Kenzi." He sighed, "You really have no idea how much death she's seen."

Kenzi lowered her eyes, and then raised them towards the basement window. She knew that Hale was right. There could be more dead from their team in that burned out wreck of a house right now. She'd not been completely absent from her sisters' life all of these years. She'd had the mission reports of Stick "Bo" Dennis forwarded to her office ever since she'd made Captain. It seemed the Air Force had turned her into some sort of killing machine, but when all of your missions are kill or be killed, it didn't give her sister much choice. That was one reason Kenzi had always made it a point to see her sister as often as possible. She wanted to be a grounding force in her life to remind her of her humanity. It was the only tool she had to use against the Top Brass who seemed hell bent on turning her sister into something out of a Universal Soldier movie.

Sighing, she looked up at Hale and nodded, slowly returning to her post. She slid her weapon into her shoulder joint, her cheek landing heavily into position against the dark metal before having a look through her scope. She exhaled, steadying her weapon with the expertise that earned her the title of sharpshooter and focused on her task... silently. Hale turned away and did the same, but both were lost in thought over what would come next.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Everyone was back in the barn. The engineers from Lauren's company were sitting with her girlfriend, reviewing what she could only guess were the design plans of the aircraft in their possession. Lauren had told her that she would have one of their people flying with each craft to insure that someone knew what the new capabilities of each plane were if needed.

Bo smiled knowing that Lauren had worked her magic with their planes and they would have the advantages they'd hoped for. They were a bit low on fuel, but it should be enough if they were able to stick to the flight plan they'd put in place with their Canadian friends.

As her eyes drifted away from the blonde and her staff, she felt a twinge of regret at the thought of not having the future she now desperately hoped for with Lauren. She'd never dared dream of having someone to walk through life with. She'd always feared that sort of commitment, thinking someone in her line of work couldn't have it, but now, for the first time in her life, she had hope that it could be... if they both survived. For now, the only thing she knew for sure was that she was going to fight like hell to make sure that at least Lauren had a future. She deserved one after the piss poor hand she'd been dealt in this lifelong poker game they called life. It was time Lauren Lewis, Ph.D., had some happy and Bo was going to make sure she had a fighting chance at getting it.

Bo sat silently by herself on a hay bale, her fingers mindlessly flipping the safety of her weapon on and off repeatedly. She couldn't stop her mind from replaying the last hour over and over again in her head. She'd laid out the plan for their escape to all of the remaining members of their team once they'd returned from their trip to Evony's weapons silo. Having seen the massive arsenal they're brought back, she'd felt a bit better about giving the team the choice of staying or going, but as she'd suspected, they'd all refused to leave. They were "all in" and ready to lay down their lives for their General and right now, it was that thought that had Bo out of sorts.

She knew the SEAL team would stay. This was exactly the sort of thing they were trained to do. Besides, one of their own was still missing. No one, Bo included, would violate the 'no one left behind' code of the Armed Forces. That also meant Tamsin wouldn't leave without at least having confirmation that Wrench was, indeed, dead. Of course, if Bo ordered her to go, she would. She'd be angry about the order, but she would follow it because that's what pilots did... fly the mission, fire when ordered to fire, rescue, capture or kill... on demand, without fail. Do the job, without question.

The problem was, right now Bo Dennis had nothing but questions. Were there any survivors from her team in the farmhouse? Would her plan work? Was she doing the right thing? Who else would she lose? She was a General now. She wasn't supposed to have questions. She was supposed to have answers. Bo was having a crisis of faith. The timing couldn't be worse and she knew it. She looked around the room at the faces of those who had survived and again took inventory of their motives.

Evony and Ryan weren't leaving without their witnesses, Hale wouldn't leave Kenzi and Kenzi wouldn't leave Bo. Martin was staying because Lauren wouldn't leave without Bo and the rest of her company's team was staying because they wouldn't leave without Martin and Lauren.

As she sat staring at the weapon in her hand, her heart was heavy with the knowledge that no matter what the direct cause for their choice, all roads led to her. Directly or indirectly, everyone was putting everything on the line for Bo 'Stick' Dennis and she was not comfortable with that idea at all.

She sighed, before locking and loading her weapon. It was time for the General to put on her big girl pants and lead the team. It was time to storm the castle, take back her people and then get out of Dodge. They had a court case to win. They had a man's reputation to save. It was time to put the past where it belonged and pave a path to the future... no matter how bloody it might be.

The general turned to her small platoon of soldiers and cleared her throat. Gathering all of her strength, she took a deep breath and spoke to the room...

"Everyone have their coms on?" Bo asked, listening for an affirmative response from each member of her team. Once confirmed, she gave them one last chance to ask questions or voice concerns,

"Does anyone have any questions or concerns before we head out?"

Kenzi went to speak, but held her tongue. Bo held her gaze for a moment, waiting for her sister to reconsider before scanning the rest of the group for any sign of doubt. Seeing none, she gave the group a nod,

"I just want to say - in case I've not made myself abundantly clear - that I am so grateful for all of you and for all that you have done for my father. My sister and I may be the only remaining blood relatives of Colonel Jack Dennis, but to us you are all family..." her eyes found Kenzi's, "...and we take care of our family. Let's stay alert and have each others' backs in there."

Kenzi gave her a nod before Bo turned back to the room, her eyes zeroing in on the SEAL Team,

"Dead or alive, no one is left behind. Let's bring our people home. Move out."

She motioned to the three exits as she spoke, the group breaking into the previously decided teams. Before following Kenzi and Hale through the front door, she turned back to see Lauren standing with her hand tightly gripping the shoulder strap of her leather messenger bag, her face covered in worry. She gave her a cocky grin and a wink,

"See you soon, Kid."

Lauren rolled her eyes, her frown instantly transforming into a smile, as the memory of cuddling with Bo in her bed to watch old Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart movies raced through her mind. She watched the brunette disappear behind the slowly closing wooden door and she chuckled at the memory of Bo trying to use a perfect Bogart accent ever since they'd watched the first movie.

"Doctor Lewis?"

Lauren shook out her thoughts and turned to Stan, the lead technician,

"Doctor Lewis, shouldn't we be getting the planes started?"

Lauren nodded, "The planes are our rendezvous point, but remember that we are low on fuel. We don't start them up until we see movement coming from the tree line. Geek squad ready?"

She put her hand out, smiling as they all put their hands on hers and cheered, "Geeks are great!"

Stan turned to Lauren, picking up his messenger bag, "I just want to go on record again as saying 'thank you' for thinking to store our laptops and tools in the planes when Evony hatched her brilliant plan to blow up her house if we were under attack. I mean... I don't mean to sound insensitive to those who may have lost their lives in the explosion, but without the laptops..."

Lauren nodded, "Stan, I understand. Without our gear, we wouldn't be going anywhere right now. It's okay. I get it. We're all going to be happy to be out of harms way. Let's just make sure we do our part to make that happen."

He smiled, picking up his gear before heading for the tunnel that would lead them to the runway.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Bo, Tamsin, Kenzi and Hale took up position on the north side of the burned out house. The smoldering wood provided plenty of cover as dense smoke still covered the land surrounding the property. Without a scope, visibility was but a short distance. Bo held up her fist, bringing her team to a stop by an old wagon and a small cluster of tree trunks that had fallen victim to the flames overnight. The General watched as the SEAL Team signaled ready from the east side of the ruins and Evony's team responded in kind from the west end.

Taking a breath, Bo motioned for everyone to move in before taking the lead for her team. The smoke was thick and she could feel it burning her throat. She pulled the knit sleeve over her mouth and instantly felt some relief. It had been Lauren's idea to outfit everyone with a collar of sorts that would filter out the smoke if they pulled it up over their mouths. Bo was grateful the blonde had thought of it. With all of the weaponry Evony had provided, she had nothing for these conditions.

Bo paused when she reached what had been the front door of the house. Reaching out to the handle, she found it too hot to grip. She pulled down her sleeve and gave it a quick turn, releasing it carefully so as not to make any noise. She slid the barrel of her weapon inside and slowly eased It open only to be met with a barrage of bullets. She immediately dove for cover with the rest of her team doing the same.

"Retreat. Retreat. Retreat." She spoke, calling for the other teams to pull back, "Fall back to cover on east side of property."

Everyone moved quickly as directed until all members of their party were together under the cover of the woods. The SEAL Team doctor moved to where Bo was holding her side,

"You hit, General?"

"Just grazed, Doc." She said, rolling her eyes as he lifted her outer jacket.

He shook his head, "Through and through the tissue on your side. That's more than a graze, but you'll live. I've gotta patch this up, Stick or you'll be useless to us."

She nodded, lifting her arm over her head. She cringed as he poured alcohol over the area.

"Sorry, it's all Evony had that could sterilize wounds. Everything is in short supply."

Bo nodded, "I know." She looked up at her team, "And I'd be willing to bet that their ammo is in short supply too. They just burned a helluva lot of it in that little assault. Not too smart." She said, gritting her teeth as the Doc pressed a bandage onto the wound.

Specter nodded, "So, I'm thinking someone not so experienced is running their operation? An experienced leader would be conserving ammo."

Bo nodded, pulling her shirt down as the Doc finished his work, "For sure. So how do you guys feel about doing some ghosting?"

Haus laughed, "Sounds good to me." He held up a stick with a hat on the end, "How's this?"

Bo smiled, "Looks like a target to me."

Tamsin added, "They shot Stick the minute they saw the tip of her weapon. With the smoke for cover, this would probably work too."

She broke a blackened broom in half and gave one end to Kenzi and the other to Hale. The younger Dennis sister immediately held it up like a gun and began firing,

"Okay, do we really think they're that stupid?" Kenzi asked.

Bo shrugged, "Worth a try if we can end this without bloodshed?"

They all turned to the sound of gunfire, "So... they really are that stupid? I mean I'm holding the stick up way over here."

Tamsin slapped Kenzi before she scanned the team and then tapped Bo on the shoulder, "Where's Evony?"

Bo stood and looked around, "And Lambert." She sighed, realizing they'd gone in, "What the hell are they thinking?"

"New plan, Stick?"

"Yea, save our own people from their stupidity. If we're not too late." Bo said, standing too quickly and gripping her side.

"Stick, maybe you should sit this one out." Tamsin suggested.

Bo shook her head, "We need every gun in there. Let's get this done and get outta dodge. I don't like that we've left the plane and our engineers uncovered out there."

She looked up at the house, "The gunfire sounded like it came from the south side of the house. Specter, take your team wide around the clearing and come in from the tree cover over there. Haus, I need you to team up with Kenzi and Hale and come in from the north side, clearing the house as you make your way to the back of the house. Tamsin, you and I are taking the direct route from here."

Everyone nodded their understanding, "Okay. Let's lock and load. Specter, we'll give you, Spider and Doc a ten count before we start."

"Roger that, Stick." He signaled for his team to move out.

Bo turned to Haus, "Okay, big guy – you, Jones, Kenzi and Hale are next."

Kenzi slammed down the hammer on her weapon and gave her sister a slap on the back before following Haus and the rest of her team off in the opposite direction.

Bo took a deep breath, trying to cleanse her mind of worry for her sister before she turned to Tamsin and asked, "You ready to get your Rage on?"

Tamsin smirked, "Straight into the fire without a plane around me? Sure. Why wouldn't I be? It's not like you had a bunch of other people used to running ground ops you could have picked to run the suicide route with you, but sure. I mean, Wrench is probably already dead, so it's not like I have anything else to live for."

"Hey!" Bo said, "You have family to live for – me, Hale, Kenzi, Lauren and the rest of this motley crew we've accidentally assembled through this mess. Besides, we are not dying today and we don't know that Wrench is dead. As a matter of fact, I'm counting on him being quite alive. Now. Are you ready to do this?"

Tamsin steeled her emotions, clicked off the safety on her weapon and gave Bo a firm nod, "Ready, General."

Bo rolled her eyes at her friends' use of her rank before adding, "And by the way – I picked you to go in with me on this route because I believed you would want to be the one to find him."

Bo rushed out of the woods with Tamsin close on her heels before moving into a flanking position. The brunette waved Haus forward as soon as she saw the shadow of Specter's team moving towards the burned out farmhouse. This was it. With weapons raised, they all stormed the house.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Specter, you guys haul Haus' heavy ass back to that plane! He's unconscious, but Doc should be able to fix him up! Come back to us to provide cover fire if we're not right behind you." Tamsin ordered before looking down at her friend,

"BO! SHIT! BO! Kenzi, she's over here! Dammit, dammit, dammit! Don't you dare die on me!" Tamsin screamed as she quickly pulled a tourniquet out of the side pocket of her cargo pants, "Kenzi!"

The younger Dennis sister ran into the room, hauling a first aid kit, "I found this under the Basement Bitches' bed. I hope she's..." her eyes fell on the body lying next to her sister, a knife sticking out of the center of her chest, "...dead."

Tamsin took out her knife and cut through Bo's outer coat that was soaked with blood. What she saw beneath caused her to gasp and gag before she began to frantically wave her hand at Kenzi,

"She's dead, but your sister isn't... not anyway, yet. I need bandages, Kenzi. Lots and lots of bandages... towels... whatever you can find."

Kenzi's eyes remained fixed on the chest of the traitor for a long moment, making sure she wasn't breathing before she opened the metal first aid kit and rifled through the contents, "Adhesive strips, eye wash, tweezers, gauze..."

"Geez, Kenzi! She doesn't have a fucking splinter! She must have taken a grenade to the gut! Her flack jacket was too short to prevent... geezus! She's a mess!" She frantically looked for a way to apply pressure, "Gauze! Give me all of that gauze, Kenzi, but keep looking for bandages... shirts, towels... anything you can find to... shit! What the hell am I supposed to do with all this? How the hell are you even alive, Stick?"

Kenzi handed over the roll of gauze and watched as Tamsin immediately ripped open the package with her teeth and then shoved the entire cylinder of rolled gauze into her sister's abdomen. Her eyes went wide at the sight of her sister's open belly,

"Oh, harf. What the hell happened to her?"

"Bandages, Kenzi! Hurry! She's going to bleed out if we don't get this wound packed."

"Wound? That's no wound! That's a hole! Shit. Lauren is going to freak." Kenzi said, returning to her task until she found about ten packs of sterile gauze squares lashed together with string, "Bingo!"

Tamsin took the gauze and snipped the string before starting to rip open the packages one at a time, "I'm going to need that medical tape to hold all of this in."

Kenzi nodded handing her the roll of tape before pulling a triangular bandage from the small box, "We can use this around her waist to hold it all together."

"Mmmaahhwwwaaa, wh-what... what the hell happened," Bo groaned, slowly opening her eyes and attempting to lift her head, "Fuck. Are those my intestines?"

Tamsin shook her head, taking the cravat Kenzi had made from the triangular bandage and slipping it beneath Bo's lower back before pulling the end around her torso,

"Yea, but I'm putting them back in so you'll be fine. We're going to need to get you up and moving." Tamsin said, tying the knot of the pressure bandage tightly over the gaping wound all at once causing Bo to let out a blood-curdling scream.

"Sorry, Stick. It's got to be tight." Tamsin said, adding another knot with the same result.

Bo looked down again, "Shit. Is that... is that my blood?"

Kenzi stood, frantically looking around the room until she spotted a bed sheet. She ran and grabbed two sheets and brought them back to Tamsin. The blonde immediately took one and folded into an oversized cravat. Kenzi hoisted her up from behind so Tamsin could run the cloth over and over again around her midsection over and over again as tight as she could make it.

"There. That binding should hold everything in place and slow the bleeding for the time being."

Kenzi laid Bo back down and held up the other sheet, "We can make a sling chair out of this one. Between the two of us we'll be able to carry her. She'll have to wrap her arms around our shoulders to stay in the seat, but we can make it better this way than if she tries to walk."

"It's long enough that we can tie the ends over our shoulders and across our chests. That should hold her up. She has no abs, Kenz. She's not going to be able to hold herself up."

"Shit. My sister always has to be the fucking hero. Dammit Bo! You really made a mess of yourself this time." Kenzi said, her eyes finally welling with tears as the gravity of her sisters' situation finally hit her full force.

Bo gritted her teeth, attempting to sit up, "I can make it."

Kenzi pushed her down again, before resuming tying the knots to make the sling chair they would use to carry Bo to the plane,

"Oh for crying out loud. Would you, for once in your life, let someone rescue you! If you stand up, your guts will fall out all over the floor and I am NOT cleaning that shit up! So just lie there and let us do what we have to do to get all of us to the plane alive! I am NOT dying because you refuse to take orders from your little sister!"

"You're so bossy." Bo mumbled before her eyes slammed shut and her head lulled back to the floor with a thud.

Kenzi shrugged, "I guess we can add concussion to the list of problems."

"Well... I guess she's going to let us carry her." Tamsin said, checking a now unconscious Bo's pulse. Satisfied with the weak heartbeat for now, she sighed and looked up at Kenzi, "Time to go."

Kenzi looked down at her sister, "Does she still have..."

"A pulse? Yes, but she needs blood and a surgeon. Of course, there is that tiny issue that she was supposed to fly herself out of here."

"Shit." Kenzi said, slinging one end of the sheet over her shoulder before turning swiftly towards the door where she heard boots.

Tamsin raised her weapon and stopped when she saw Hale hold up his hands,

"Whoa! Don't shoot! Everyone's at the landing strip but we got trouble. It seems your intelligence friends brought jets of their own."

"Fuck! Can this day get any worse?" Kenzi yelled handing Tamsin the other end, but the blonde shook her head,

"Hale, you and Specter sling carry Bo. Kenzi and I will handle the cover fire. We'll move faster if you two carry her. Be careful not to drop any of her entrails on the ground. She'll need them if she's gonna live."

Hale's hand went to his mouth until Kenzi slapped his elbow, "She's fine. Now buck up and let's get a move on before they pin us all down on the airstrip. We've got the best fighter jet pilots in the armed services with us. We have the best shot if we're airborne."

They all nodded as the two men shifted into position and lifted Bo into the sling chair between them. Each of them carried their weapon locked at their waist while their other arms held tight to one another to keep Bo in the sling. Kenzi and Tamsin breached the door and nodded the all clear before they all took off across the charred land towards the tunnels that would lead them to the planes.

Bo groaned, looking up at Specter, "Quite the cluster fuck, huh? Did we get everybody out?"

"You just let us worry about attendance."

"I think I'm fucked, Specter. Tamsin's in charge if I..."

"Stop it. Just stop it right now. I read your file. You've seen worse. You're not dying today. Hang in there, Stick." He replied, his eyes diligently scanning his surroundings for the enemy before his eyes landed on Tamsin's. She shook her head telling him everything he needed to know about their General's condition.

Kenzi slammed a dose of morphine into Bo's femoral artery.

"Owa!" She glared at her sister who just shrugged before turning to Specter, "Yea, well I don't recall my file having anything about my guts hanging out in it." Bo replied.

"Yea, well I've had mine hanging out. Trust me. They can put them back in. You'll just have a nice little zipper scar, that's all."

"Great." She replied.

"Time for radio silence, Stick."

"Aye, Sir." Bo giggled barely managing a salute as she mumbled, "If I live, you're all getting medals for this."

They all watched as she slipped back into unconsciousness at which time Tamsin took charge, "Okay. Let's move before General Loopy wakes up again."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Airstrip...**_

"GO! GO! GO!" Kenzi called out in unison with Tamsin as they made a circling motion over their heads to the planes that were already firing up their engines.

"Okay, so we've got Bo's plane, but no pilot. Is there anywhere else we can put her?" Tamsin asked.

Specter shook his head, "I can fly her plane and she can take my place as Tamsin's second seat."

Tamsin shook her head, "I'll never get her back through the tunnel to the Valkyrie for take off. Besides, she needs medical treatment. She'll be useless as a second seat."

"Well, we'd better hurry up and decide before they're all airborne," Specter replied, pointing towards the runway where two planes had already taken off.

Kenzi nodded towards the massive plane that was now moving into position, "Cargo plane."

Tamsin gave her a quick nod before turning to Specter, "You ever been in air-to-air combat?"

He shook his head, "Not since basic. I've only been in simulators since. I'm a land and water boy, but I can jump."

Tamsin nodded, closing her eyes and heaving a great sigh. She placed her hands on her hips and thought for a moment, her gaze moving to the other planes as she tried to find another way. When she realized there was no eject button for her plan, she looked up at the heavily muscled man,

"Okay, well... I can almost guarantee that if our friends that attacked us at the farmhouse have jets, they have combat training in those jets. They wouldn't send rookie jet jocks after this team of pilots. With that in mind, I don't see a way you're going to avoid having to take and return fire, so you're going to have to come with me for a crash course. Your jet was one of the three that was supposed to provide air cover for the cargo plane until it reached altitude. If you can't help us with getting this big girl airborne, no one on board stands a chance of making it."

"What happens once it's airborne? Did Lewis make it Wonder Woman's invisible jet? I mean, I'm well aware that jets can fire at any altitude and they're way faster than a cargo plane."

Tamsin nodded, "Yea, but they won't be firing at just your average cargo plane. She may not have made it invisible, but that baby is still a Lewis Enterprises special. Lauren, Geek and their team have put some tricks into that hulking machine that should take out anyone who tries to challenge it at flight altitude. We just have to get her there safely."

She paused, but then turned to him and added, "So I should warn you that once you hit 30,000 feet, don't try to get missile lock on anything within a mile of that cargo plane or you can bend over and kiss your ass goodbye."

Specter's eyes went wide as he nodded his head slowly and replied, "Got it. We all die if I go for missile lock near the cargo plane. Good to know."

"Only after 30,000 feet. Anything below that, they need our protection." Tamsin clarified.

"Right. Watch my altimeter like a hawk while firing missiles at anything that's not ours." Specter replied, blowing out a nervous breath.

"You got it, big guy. Now, let's go deliver Bo to the cargo plane and then give you that crash course."

Hale shook his head, "Ya'll thought about who's gonna tell Sketch what happened to her girl when we haul her unconscious ass onto that plane?"

Kenzi quickly placed her finger on her nose, "Dibs not!"

All the others did the same leaving the involuntary leader of the group holding the bag. Tamsin sighed, waving her arms as she replied,

"Fine! I'll tell her. But you all suck balls!"

The group stopped at the nose of the cargo plane where Tamsin motioned to Scoop and Tracker to stand down. She listened as the engines slow to an idle before the cargo bay door began to lower. They all quickly moved to the rear where Doc and Chief met the group,

"Specter? What the..." The Special Forces doctor rushed to the pilot's side, his eyes wide, "What the hell happened?"

"Basement Bitch dropped a grenade. She took shrapnel to her head and torso... a lot of it." Tamsin replied.

"Shit. She needs surgery to remove..." He stopped finding a large piece beneath the cloth he'd cut away.

"Dammit! I didn't see that!" Tamsin said, shaking her head as she reached for the piece of metal,

"Stop! Rage, don't!" He said, gripping her hands and meeting her panic-stricken eyes. She shook her head and began to reply,

"But..."

He turned back to Bo, "No, we can't take this out. It's likely in an organ and it's too deep. She'll bleed out."

He grabbed two bags and some tubing from the medical storage shelves behind him, "She needs blood – blood we don't have. We'll have to hope these fluids can stabilize her for now. I'm only using blood if it's absolutely necessary. Two pints per person max."

Kenzi interrupted, "I'm family. You can take as much blood from me as you need."

Lauren appeared from the shadows where she had watched her pilot carried aboard. She lowered her hands from her mouth and took a deep breath,

"You can't. The mission comes first. It's what she wanted – it's all she wanted... justice for your Father." She looked up at Kenzi with tear-filled eyes, "You've got to fly that jet so this plane and all of these witnesses live to testify. Byte will be your second seat. We'll keep her alive. The best chance for both her and the mission is if we leave now and get her to a Canadian hospital. There they will have all the blood she needs."

Kenzi hesitated, but Hale chimed in, turning to face her, one hand on her shoulder and one beneath her chin to hold her eyes on his,

"Sketch is right, 'lil Mama. The whole reason we're all here is because we told Stick we'd have her back until her Dad's killer was brought to justice. You're more qualified in a jet than Specter. He'll have Lauren and Martin here in the cargo plane with him plus he'll have Scoop as a co-pilot. It's the best bet for keeping this big girl safe and you know it. We've gotta go, 'lil Mama. We gotta go now. Leave Stick with Doc. She's in good hands with him."

Her eyes welled with tears, "But she's all that I have left."

Hale shook his head, "And she's not dead yet but we all die if we don't get the job done." He lowered his eyes before bringing them up to meet hers again. He placed a gentle kiss on her lips, "Besides, you have me and Sketch and Rage... everyone here is your family. We're all in this together. Now let's do this. Spitfire ready?"

She nodded, pressing her forehead against his, "Spitfire always comes back the minute she's airborne. Probably a bit rusty, but she'll get the job done."

"That's my girl." He whispered before turning back to Tamsin, "Let's go home."

"Roger that." Tamsin said, looking up at Lauren, "You good?"

She brushed the tears from her cheeks and pulled her gaze from the bloodied pilot. Wiping her hands down her thighs she looked up at the group, her face filled with determination,

"Let's do this."

Tamsin nodded, "No one waits for orders. Take off as soon as you're a go. No pre-flight checks. There's no time. We'll rendezvous at the airborne rally point. Everyone has the coordinates?"

The blonde surveyed the cargo bay hold for affirmative responses before giving a nod, "Wheels up. Specter, on me."

He gave a nod and followed the pilot to the cockpit. She spoke as they moved, "Tracker will be your navigator. He's the best there is in this group. Scoop will be your copilot. They'll have your back and they'll know all of the defense specials that have been added. Both of them have flight experience so you'll have a solid team up here."

As the group prepped for takeoff, the others departed for their respective planes. Lauren and Kenzi shared a glance as she headed for the tail of the plane,

"Take care of my sister." The younger Dennis sister stated flatly.

"Take care of yourself. Don't you dare make me tell her you're gone when she wakes up." The grit in Lauren's voice was unfamiliar as she nodded in response to the demand.

Turning, the younger Dennis sprinted down the ramp before turning to give Lauren a thumbs-up. The blonde watched her move out of sight as she pressed the button to close the door. She then turned back to the hold and sighed. Two body bags and many bloodied patients lay in the cots that hung from the walls as well as the row in the center. All she wanted to do was rush to Bo and hold her, but she knew she had a job to do if any of them were to make it out alive. She wasn't a medical doctor. She had chosen her first love – planes – and this one had to stay in the air long enough to get across the border with its precious cargo.

She watched as Doc put a piece of medical tape over the I.V. he had just inserted into Bo's arm. He then began to cut her clothing off, her mind drifting to the last night when they'd laid in bed side-by-side talking about where they wanted to go on their first date...

"Sketch!"

She looked up to see Martin shouting to her, "This is only going to work if you're with me."

She bent down and gave Bo a kiss on the forehead before walking to her longtime friend and assistant, "I'm with you."

They walked to the jump seats they had installed just behind the cockpit and pulled the ceiling mounted screens down in front of them before mounting keyboards to the posts that were between their legs. They both began typing at a feverish pace, their eyes moving back and forth between the screens to their left and right before Martin took a deep breath,

"Ready?"

"Ready." Lauren replied.

They both sat back in their seats as they felt their plane picking up speed down the short runway.

"Specter, you'd better push that throttle to the max or we will be landing with a thud on the runway." Lauren called, watching the screen before her.

Martin rolled his eyes when he heard Specter ask Scoop how Lauren knew his speed.

"They're the eye in the sky – they will hear and see everything on this flight from their tech gear. Now floor it." He said with a sense of urgency in his voice.

Lauren grinned at Martin as the pair pulled on their headphones and raised the microphones to their respective mouths. The plane accelerated and was immediately picked up on radar as it slowly lifted off the runway.

"We've got company, ya'll." Came Trackers' voice over the coms, "Let's get ready to rumble."

"Roger that." Replied Martin, meeting Lauren's eyes and throwing a nod to the rear of the plane.

Lauren lowered her mic and called out to the Doctor, "Better lock Bo's gurney down and strap in yourself, Doc. Things are about to get rough from here on out."

Doc gave her a nod and did as he was told before pulling on a headset himself and raising a keyboard and screen similar to the other engineers. He looked up at Lauren,

"Just like a video game, right?"

Lauren smiled, "Yes, but remember these are real guns and missiles. Don't take out any of our own pilots and remember..."

"I know, I know. We stop firing at 30,000 feet or we'll take down our own plane."

" _We_ don't stop firing... you and I stop firing. Geek's ammo will be recognized as friendly fire by the cargo plane's sensors. We didn't have time to configure enough reserve ammo for all four of us."

"All four of us?" Doc asked.

Martin nodded, "Tracker is firing as well."

"Right." Doc replied, cracking his knuckles in preparation for battle, "I just hope I can hit a target."

Lauren smiled, "You'll do fine."

"Did the other planes make it?" Doc asked.

Martin shrugged, "Everyone is airborne, but since everyone is taking different flight paths, we won't know who makes it until we reach the rally point."

Doc nodded in reply, looking around him at the bodies, realizing for the first time that most of their group was in this plane. He tightened his grip and focused on the screen before him. " _Just like a video game_ ," he thought.

Scoop's voice came over the coms, "Incoming bogeys. Papa, Spitfire and Rage are on them. Hold fire. Conserve ammo."

They felt a shudder and then heard gunfire outside the plane. Lauren looked at the monitors and saw a jet fly by just as another shake rattled her seat. They all snapped their heads up when they heard an explosion, but relaxed when Scoop gave a whoop into the coms,

"Score one for Spitfire! Damn that girl can fly! You'd never know she was rusty."

"Rage and Papa taking down one each! Yeehaw!" Came Specters' voice over the coms.

Tracker added, "Those three are doing one beautiful dance out there. I'm glad they're on our side."

Lauren smiled before looking down at her monitor again, "Approaching 20,000 feet with four bogeys on our tail, Specter."

Scoop shouted, "More incoming. Geez, it's like they've sent the whole damn Air Force after us!"

Martin added, "All three jets are busy. We won't reach 30,000 feet in time. We're going to have to deploy defenses."

"In time for what?" Specter asked.

"Automated defense systems." Lauren replied.

"That sounds like something out of Star Wars." Specter replied.

Lauren laughed, "Yea, well you could say that. Geek, Bit and Byte are geniuses."

"Why thank you, Sketch." Martin replied, a broad smile covering his face before it morphed into panic when the whole plane lurched forward and then began to dive.

"No more conserving ammo. Time to get real or get dead." Scoop shouted.

Specter looked back at Lauren, "This doesn't feel right. They're friendlies."

"I know what you mean. They're just following orders." Lauren said softly, "They don't know they're on the wrong side of this."

"What do we do?" Specter asked.

"Survive." Lauren replied.

He nodded and opened the com link to their tiny fleet, giving the order, "Commence firing."

Lauren looked at Martin who nodded and turned his focus on the screen before him. He gripped the handles and began firing at the attacking planes. In that moment, Lauren felt a pang in her chest. She'd never expected to actually have to use the machines she'd built to actually take lives and she'd surely never expected she would put Martin into a situation where he would have to do it. Killing went against everything she believed in when she took her oath as a young surgeon. Of course, her time in Afghanistan had taught her that the Hippocratic Oath had no place in a war zone. She'd entered her current field of expertise to create planes that would defend the occupants and now...

"SKETCH! I need help here!" Martin yelled.

Lauren looked at him for a long moment before she shook out her thoughts and went to work, "This is for you, Bo... Hippocratic Oath be damned."

They all felt a shudder before the plane dipped right. Specter struggled to right the plane,

"Ahhhhhhh!" He groaned, straining to pull up on the stick.

"Sorry! I missed!" Doc shouted, looking out the window, "We're hit! Engine one is on fire."

"Extinguishing fire and shutting down engine." Scoop replied.

"No! Keep that engine running! Just douse the fire." Lauren shouted, pulling down her computer screen, as she shouted to Martin, "Geek..."

"Already on it." He replied, typing feverishly.

"But the fire..." Scoop began, but Lauren interrupted as she worked,

"The engine is intact and running. It's built to survive the impact. I'm more worried about making sure the fire doesn't breach the engine block and spread to the internal components."

"Fire extinguished. Engine running." Scoop replied.

"Yea, well those bogeys are still running too. You got anything for those, Sketch?" Specter asked.

"Over your head there's a triangular red button. Press it. Now!" Martin shouted.

Specter wasted no time following the direction. The cabin was silent, all three of the tech fighters monitoring their screens until they all yelled in unison,

"Direct hit!"

Tracker replied, "One bogey on our tail. They've got missile lock on us!"

"Deploying countermeasures." Martin called out, hitting enter on his keyboard.

Once again, the plane went silent as everyone waited for Tracker's reply. Finally, they all had reason to let out the collective breath they'd been holding as he announced,

"Missile destroyed prior to impact. One bogey still in pursuit."

Scoop replied, "That's the Valkyrie on its tail."

"No visual, switching to radar." Lauren announced, as Martin gave a nod that he had the same view, "That jet can outmaneuver the Valkyrie. Rage's plane is too big and not meant for a firefight. They've got to work together!"

"Look! Spitfire and Papa are in a team pursuit." Tracker shouted.

"Approaching 30,000 feet." Specter replied.

Lauren gave Martin a nod before he announced, "Engaging automated systems."

"Shouldn't you wait? What if they fire right when we reach 30,000 feet? They could be taken out by our defenses!" Specter replied.

Martin and Lauren looked at each other for a long moment before Lauren gave the order, "Engage systems. They all know not to fire once we reach 30,000. They know what they're doing if they do. They'll be watching their altimeters."

Martin typed in the command and hit the enter key, "System engaged."

"Spitfire's engaging the bogey. We're at 28,000 feet." Scoop announced.

"Disengage, Kenzi. Please make her disengage." Lauren whispered to herself, though she knew Bo's younger sister was a soldier cut of the same cloth.

"She's firing! Two missiles away at 29,000 feet... she's climbing to 30,000 feet... missiles are climbing with her... diverting to nearest heat signature..."

"Shit. She's making sure the missiles follow her and not us." Lauren whispered, switching to the live video feed. She covered her mouth and watched Kenzi's plane fall into a steep dive with the two missiles she had released in close pursuit, "Launch... launch Kenzi, launch dammit!"

"What's she doing?" Doc asked.

Martin replied, "Nothing yet... come on, Kenzi... remember what we gave you."

"Damn, are those countermeasures?"

Martin smiled, "They certainly are! We incorporated them into all of our planes just in case, but she's just used all she has. We'll have to hope each missile locks onto a different signal now..."

Lauren released the breath she was holding as she watched Kenzi's plane level off when Scoop announced,

"Bogey number one is down... looks like those countermeasures worked as planned, Sketch."

But Martin was already shaking his head and pointing towards the screen. Scoop looked at Martin and then back down to his screen,

"Shit. The second missile is still coming towards us. Defense systems working as expected to deflect missile towards secondary target..."

He paused before panic filled his voice again, "Dammit! It's going after Spitfire again... pilot is executing escape maneuvers. You said she's got no countermeasures left?"

Martin replied, "I'm afraid not."

He turned to look at Lauren and Martin, "Isn't there any way to control that second missiles' direction? If we can divert it, we can help Kenzi. Isn't there a way to control it?"

Martin shook his head, "Sorry, Scoop. It just locks on to the closest target. Spitfire had Papa and Rage break off before she fired. She's closest. It's going to target her."

"Isn't there any way to help her?" Scoop asked.

Lauren replied, "She's helping herself."

"What? How?" Specter asked.

"She's got Byte in her second seat. Look. He told her to dive again. The missiles are set to disengage at 3000 feet and he knows it." Lauren answered.

Tracker replied, "She won't have time to pull up at that speed! She'll be like a bug on a car windshield!"

"No she won't! Have faith in her!" Lauren snapped, before raising her microphone from her mouth.

She folded her hands as if praying, her index fingers extended and pressed to her lips before she whispered, "Please pull up. Please pull up. Don't you dare die today."

She closed her eyes as she watched the gray fighter jet grow smaller and smaller, the tiny orange and white light from the tail of the missile in hot pursuit. Seconds felt like minutes... maybe longer until finally, neither was visible. Everyone switched to radar and waited... and waited... and waited... when suddenly...

"What the hell was that?" Scoop asked, his eyes fixed on the screen.

"That was Papa and Rage flanking Spitfire! They confused the hell outta that missile!"

Scoop announced, "The missile is reacquiring target... 4000 feet, 3000 feet..."

A collective exhale and applause was all Lauren heard as she watched the explosion followed by the thrusters on all three jets bursting across the horizon and back up towards their plane. She fell back against her chair, the after affects of the adrenaline rush taking its toll on her body as she heard Kenzi's voice blasting over the coms that Scoop had opened up for the entire cargo plane to hear,

"I gave you guys an order! You could have gotten yourselves killed!"

Rage replied, "Yea, well so could you, Spitfire! Can you imagine? Stick would have had my ass! Wasn't happening!"

"I had it!" Kenzi argued.

"Right. Well, you can tell us all about how you had it when we get back into formation."

"Well, there better not be anymore heroics from you two!" Spitfire replied.

"No heroics, Spitfire, just a moment of crazy bravery. Look, it worked. We're all alive. Now let's get the job done."

Kenzi replied, "Back in formation."

The three pilots climbed back up to the cargo ship, Rage taking point while Papa and Spitfire took flanking positions,

"Three birds back in the nest, Specter." Kenzi announced.

Specter replied, "Roger that. Welcome back little birds. That was quite a show."

Lauren felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Martin smiling widely at her. Placing her hand on his, she gave him a tight smile and a nod before she began to unclip her harness. She spoke quietly to the man,

"Thank you, Martin."

"For?"

"We haven't had much chance to talk since we arrived for the meeting with my Dad all of those weeks ago. I just... well... you could have left..." she chuckled, "Actually, you..." she thought for a moment and took a breath before continuing, "... you probably should have bailed on me months ago, but you stayed. I'm not sure I'll ever understand why, especially since you could take a job with any company and make twice what I pay you..." She trailed off, her eyes glancing down at nervous hands, "...I'm just..." she looked up at him through tear-filled eyes, "Just... thank you... for being a huge part of why this may finally all come to an end and people like my Father brought to justice."

Martin nodded, "I'm sorry, Lauren."

She looked up, her eyes begging an explanation for his apology.

"About your Father. I wish he could have been the man you deserved to have raise you... or at least a man you could have been proud to call your Father."

She nodded, "Well, I guess we all have to play the hand life deals us, eh?"

He gave her a small smile, "I guess we do."

She turned to walk away, but stopped. Turning back towards him, she asked, "Why did you stay?"

Martin smiled at Lauren, "For the same reason I've always stayed. I believe in what we're doing here, Lauren... and because you're like the sister I never had. We make a great team."

Lauren nodded, "We do, but still... thank you."

"You're quite welcome, Doctor Lewis." He smiled, "Now, why don't you go check on that pilot in the back. I'm sure she's on your mind even though Doc is keeping an eye on her."

She nodded and slipped out of the seat and to the cargo bay to check on Bo. Thankfully, she wouldn't be forced to deliver bad news to her about her sister. Kenzi was alive and had rejoined their little fleet. Hopefully they would soon be joined by those loyal to their cause and justice would be swift.

Doc was already tending to the patients in the cots mounted on the walls of the cargo bay. She moved to the center row of cots anchored to the floor of the hold and found Bo lying gaunt and unconscious. She looked worse than she'd been when they took off. It was hard to admit, but Lauren knew she was dying. If she didn't get medical treatment soon, she would lose her before she ever had a chance to know what could have been between them.

She folded her arms across her chest, her mind riddled with thoughts of steps they may not have yet taken that could improve the pilots' chances of survival, but she could think of none. She felt so helpless... much like she had as a doctor on the front lines in Afghanistan. This is another reason she had left medicine. Planes could be fixed or rebuilt... humans... not so much.

She shuddered at the feel of a hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she found Doc's kind eyes looking down at her. This tall, formidable man was a complicated mix that she hadn't quite figured out yet. Somehow, in the short time she'd none him, she'd come to trust him... completely... much like Bo. But where she was all shoulder, Doc was part soldier, part compassionate physician.

" _How does he reconcile the doctor with the soldier... the healer with the killer. He makes it look so easy." She thought to herself._

"There's nothing else I can do for her, Doctor Lewis. I'm sorry, but from here on out, it's up to her."

His voice was frank, yet kind and Lauren appreciated both. She nodded,

"She's a soldier through and through. From what I've learned in the short time I've known her, she should have died ten times over by now. Stick has a way of beating the odds. I'm counting on her doing it again."

Did she really believe that or was it just something she was saying to make Doc feel better about his limited options? Was it to make herself feel better about potentially losing this woman?

"She is legendary." Doc replied, removing the empty bag of blood from the pole and adding a new one, "This is the last bag of blood I have. I hope we don't have any more delays. She needs more than this and they may call me Doc, but I'm no surgeon."

"I am." Lauren thought, but they weren't there yet. She wasn't about to try to use the surgical techniques that had failed her in the field before. This wasn't her first rodeo with a bomb victim... not the first time she'd had to put someone's guts back into their body for safe keeping during transport.

"I know we don't know each other that well, but if you need to talk... well... I'm told I'm a good listener and... well, I think you and I have a lot more in common than you've let on."

She lifted her eyes to the man, offering a tight smile in response to his thoughtful offer, "I was in Afghanistan."

He nodded, "I know."

Her head spun quickly at the statement.

"We were given detailed files on each of you before we were sent in."

She chuckled, "Of course you were."

"It wasn't your fault, you know."

She stared down at Bo, suddenly feeling naked in his presence. He knew everything... everything she never talked about anymore. Everything she never admitted to anyone... not even herself... not anymore, anyway. She'd shoved that part of herself... of her life... down into a deep, dank corner in the deepest recesses of her mind and woven layers and layers of new memories over that part... new accomplishments and goals... ones not shrouded in suffering and death.

"How do you do it?" She asked, her thumb rubbing back and forth over Bo's fingers, her eyes set on her face.

"Do what?"

She looked up at him, "Reconcile all of this death... the means by which it happens... with your Hippocratic Oath?"

He chuckled, "Reconcile it? There's no way to reconcile any of this, Lauren." He turned, rubbing his neck, "War." He turned back to the blonde, "War is stupid. Everyone moving soldiers around like pawns on a chess board to win what? Land? Money? Some slanted version of power?"

He turned away again and stopped at the body bag. Staring down, he spoke, "This soldier was a child... barely eighteen by the looks of him. He was sent in to fight on the wrong side of a battle by people who are trying to cover their own asses to retain what little power they have. What their end game is, we may never know, but what I do know is that this boy was sent to do a job for the wrong reasons. He was just following orders..." He turned to look at Lauren, his face now stricken with grief... or was that guilt, she wondered. He turned away and continued,

"It's what they do, you know. They train us to follow orders, not think for ourselves. We're in the field... we're the ones seeing what's happening in a given moment – not them... yet they call the shots from the safety of some office or bunker determining if the potential gains are worth the risk of one, two or more lives."

He walked from the body over to stand by the wall-mounted cots that held Ears and Eyes, "To answer your question, I don't reconcile the two lives I live. I keep them separate... it gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "living in the moment". When I'm here with my patients, I'm a doctor who graduated medical school before doing a surgical residency. I've learned what little surgical skill I have in war zones out of necessity, not from following a qualified surgeon like most residents do."

Lauren smiled, "I must admit, I did wonder where you'd learned some of your more creative techniques when we were working together."

He smiled back, "In a war zone, creativity is a necessity."

Nodding, she replied, "So I'm learning."

He moved to the other side of Bo and pulled up a crate to sit, "And what else are you learning?"

She lifted Bo's hand and carefully placed it in her own, "That pilots aren't the robots with egos I thought them to be. Their egos are nothing but skill mixed with courage... that there's always fear buried deeply under their actions... but they do the job anyway."

"Fear... it's a complex thing."

She nodded, "Fear of loss, fear of failure, fear of consequences... well, that list could go on and on, right?"

"Right." He replied, "What's wrong, Sketch?"

"Nothing... and everything. I don't know, really. I just... I just..."

"Are questioning your role in all of this?"

She sighed, "Yes. I feel... responsible."

"None of this was your fault, Lauren."

"Really? My Father played me like a fiddle! He brought me into Project Resurrection. I built the planes. I went along with the pilot choices without considering why they were chosen – especially Bo. There were so many red flags that I ignored because... because of the dream of a child."

"Dream?"

She chuckled, "I always wanted a relationship with my Father and I was apparently just desperate enough to get involved with this program to have something that might finally help me to have that connection with him... that I might actually find that he... that he loved his daughter. But what did I get instead?"

"An inferiority complex?"

Lauren smiled, "That and the bonus feature of knowing just how little he cared for me."

He leaned in closer and spoke softly, "But you found a greater love, Lauren."

Her face flushed as she offered a quiet smile to the Doc while she picked up a rag and began the work of wiping the blood from Bo's face. She looked so peaceful lying here... like the weight of fighting to prove her Fathers' innocence had been lifted from her shoulders. Lauren only hoped she would live to see the fruit of her years of labor come to pass.

"Lauren?" Doc asked, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, "She loves you, you know. We can all see it."

She gave a half nod, continuing to dab at the blood on Bo's cheek, "You know, I didn't think she was real? I mean, I read the reports my Father gave me and I thought she read like some sort of super hero. But the moment she walked into that conference room, I could feel her power." She scowled, "I think that's one of the reasons my Dad disliked her so much. He didn't like anyone who could potentially take his power from him. In these last weeks, I've imagined that was one thing that may have sent him after Bo's Father. If she's the apple falling close to the tree, then his power was great as well. My Dad would have felt threatened by him."

She smiled, "Still, when I came here, I wasn't looking for love... honestly, I'd given up on ever finding it working in a world of engineers that are largely men. But then, in the midst of all of the military chaos and strife, there it was. It seemed impossible, but like with everything she does, Stick always finds a way to win and she won me over."

"You make it sound like that's a bad thing." Doc replied, concerned with the change in Lauren's tone.

"She wins me over and now look at her. If she dies..."

"You said it yourself. She always finds a way to win and she has the record to prove it. She's not dying, Lauren. I won't let her." He said, his voice filled with conviction.

"Right." Lauren replied, though she wasn't convinced. She'd been around war and death enough to know that soldiers could win or lose, but Doctors couldn't heal mortal wounds.

"Why this sudden crisis of faith?" He asked.

"Faith? Well, I've always believed more in science that religion."

"I read that you worked in a M.A.S.H. unit."

She lifted her eyes to meet his... he was looking for answers... for her truth.

"Why did you leave medicine, Lauren? You clearly had the skills to become a brilliant surgeon."

She gave a half chuckle and a smile to match, "Brilliant, huh? I wouldn't exactly call what I did as a doctor brilliant. Working without the imaging technology and sterile conditions medical school had promised was not what I'd imagined."

"You were only there for a month or so and I've noticed you don't talk about it. You sort of skipped over that part of your history when we talked by the fire that night at the Fed's house."

"I uh... I... I went from medical school to working with Vets who'd..."

"Lost limbs, so I heard but your record says different."

Lauren sighed, "My Father... or the idea of my Father... I knew he was military, but that was really all I knew at that point. I guess I had this fantasy that if I went in, he would find me. Ironically, he didn't find me until I came out... well, not that I know of, anyway."

"The terms of your release from military service are vague." He said with caution, not wanting to insinuate she lacked courage.

She took a breath, allowing the image to surface, "There was a young civilian girl... wrong place wrong time, you know?"

He nodded, "It happens."

"Well, I didn't know that at the time. I was new to the unit and I guess I had always imagined war happening in some distant field away from the civilian population. When I saw the first bombs fall from the sky, I was horrified. I wanted to board the first plane back to home... to safety... until she was brought in and placed on my table. She couldn't have been more than five years of age. She'd been trapped in a building that had collapsed in one of the first explosions. Her gut was torn open much like Bo's was today. It was the first time I'd seen first hand what a bomb could do to human flesh and it was horrid."

"She died."

She looked up to reveal a single tear trailing down her face, "She died."

She stood, placing the cloth in the metal dish that held the bloody water from her girlfriends' skin. So much blood,

"I watched her mother fall across her body and weep hysterically for her loss while I stood there... just numb. I remember staring at the girls' heart visible beneath her mother's arm. I just kept hoping against hope that it would suddenly start to beat... hoping that I could will it to beat."

"But it didn't."

Shaking her head, she brushed a stray strand of hair from Bo's neck, "It didn't. The medics came in and moved her body, ignoring the mother's need to grieve. The child's body was replaced with an elderly man and that one was replaced with a young soldier and that one was replaced and it continued over and over and over again until I found myself leaning up against a tent pole, barely able to keep my eyes open. That's when the mortar hit our tent. By some miracle, I was thrown clear... just a concussion. When I woke up, I was surrounded by the dead and dying on a transport plane. The Doctors and Nurses that survived were missing arms and legs as were the soldiers who were patrolling the perimeter of the tent."

"And that's when you decided to leave medicine to focus on the limbs."

"And eventually anything that could keep our people safer." She clarified, "But it's never enough."

"What we do, Lauren, is what we can. We do our best to right the wrongs of war."

"And when our best isn't enough? What do we do then, Doc?"

"Apparently we go back to school and become engineers." He chuckled, offering a smile.

Lauren nodded, "I suppose we do... at least I did. You stayed in. Why?"

"Specter, Haus, Spider, Jones and Bug... they're my family. I couldn't leave without my brothers."

"Of course. I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize." He grew silent before he added, "This was to be our last mission before I went back to train medics, Specter was going to train the next elite, Haus was heading for a security job back in the states, Jones was taking a desk job and Bug was going to work for Homeland in some tech division. The rest of the guys in our unit are undecided but hell... who knows what life has planned for us."

Lauren had to agree. They were still vulnerable, so she had to keep her guard up, but right now... for this moment... she just wanted to find comfort in the slow rise and fall of Bo's chest. As long as she was breathing, there was hope.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Coms are yours Sketch. I have no idea how to speak French and these jets are looking a little itchy about us being in their air space." Specter said to Lauren.

"Roger that, Specter."

Lauren clicked her com panel to broadcast,

"Base des Forces canadiennes Bagotville, c'est la première mission de la mission Big Cargo qui demande l'autorisation d'atterrir. Médical nécessaire."

Specter whispered to Scoop, "What did she say?"

"No idea."

Martin smiled, providing a rough translation to the crew, "She told them we're on approach and requesting permission to land. She also told them we need medical assistance."

"Thanks, Geek." Specter replied, "I gotta learn French some day."

The reply came through loud and clear,

" _Top Mission Cargo Big Girl, prenez un tour pendant que nous amenons vos escortes. Deux des trois ont demandé des atterrissages d'urgence."_

"Specter, we have to circle. Give them a wide berth."

"They're not letting us land?" Specter asked, concerned, but maneuvered the plane regardless, "We're really low on fuel, Sketch."

Martin interjected, "We're good. Two of our fighters have declared emergency landings. We're better off than they are."

Lauren nodded, "Diagnostics confirm that Spitfire and Rage took heavy damage in the firefight. Rage is flying on one engine and with the size of the Valkyrie, that's not good. Look overhead and you'll see a green switch. That's the reserve fuel tank. We can switch over if we have to."

"Aren't we vulnerable without our jets up here?" Scoop asked.

Lauren shook her head, "I suspect the Canadian Air Force jets surrounding us are here to serve as our cover. It's in their best interest to keep all of us alive. Remember, they want to see justice done as well."

" _Top Mission Cargo Big Girl, vous êtes clair pour atterrir sur la piste 2-9er."_

Lauren replied, "Roger. Top Mission Cargo Big Girl en approche, piste 2-9er."

She redirected to Specter, "We're clear to land on runway 2-9er."

"Roger that, Sketch." Specter replied.

Scoop came over the coms, "Ladies and Gentlemen, please return your tray tables to their full, upright position and secure your seat belts for landing. It's been a pleasure serving you on Cargo Plane Big Girl Air."

Everyone gave a chuckle in response to the young Airman's antics as they finally began their descent.

"I just want to ask if anyone else has a bad feeling about this? I mean... are we sure the French Canadians aren't in cahoots with the American bad boys?"

Specter shook his head, "Stop looking for trouble when there's no trouble to be found, Scoop."

"Okay, so I am the only one who has a bad feeling about this. Good to know."

The plane grew eerily quiet as the squeal of the tires hit the tarmac. When they came to a stand still, Specter opened the cargo bay door to a squadron of soldiers taking aim at the group inside.

Lauren stood, waving her hands,

"Ne tirez pas! Ne tirez pas! Je suis le docteur Lauren Lewis. Nous sommes tous des amis et nous avons été grièvement blessés à bord. Je souhaite parler à la générale de l'armée de l'air, Samantha Simard!"

Lauren heard a familiar voice call out to the soldiers, "Baissez vos armes!"

A heavily decorated soldier stepped into view. Removing her hat and then her sunglasses, she took a few steps up the cargo planes' ramp before she stopped and smiled at Lauren,

"A fine mess you've gotten yourself into this time, Lewis."

Lauren sighed, "So are you here to help us or throw us into your military prison?"

She reached out and laid a hand on Lauren's shoulder, "To help, of course. Our top brass is already working with your F.B.I. and C.I.A. to bring in the suspects in accordance with the list provided by your agents Fleurette-Marquis and Lambert. I met the younger Dennis sister. Where's this super pilot of yours?"

Lauren turned and nodded towards Doc who was standing over Bo's cot.

"Dead?" The General asked matter-of-factly in a tone that sent a chill straight to Lauren's bones.

"No and we are going to need your best and brightest to keep her alive. She is the key witness." Lauren replied.

"So this is the famous Bo Dennis? I heard she made General recently."

"Yes, but can we move this along, Samantha? She's in critical condition."

"Absolutely." She replied before turning to her soldiers,

"Tout est clair. Envoyer dans les infirmiers. Ce patient est notre priorité absolue."

Lauren nodded, "Thank you."

"So, dinner later?" Sam asked.

Shaking her head, Lauren replied, "I am not here to rekindle an old flame and I am not that scared doctor you met in Afghanistan. Let's just keep this professional, shall we?"

"Wow. Direct. That's hot, Lewis."

Martin stepped up, "Samantha."

"Ah, Martin. Still following Lauren around, I see?"

"Samantha." Lauren cautioned.

Martin laughed, "It's okay, Lauren. I remember how to handle Samantha. Her career means everything to her and I believe the simple threat of a sexual harassment charge should be enough to..."

The General raised her hands to the pair, "Nice to see you both. Please let our people know if you need anything. The medics are here. Feel free to follow them to the hospital to oversee the care of your people."

Lauren nodded her head, "Thank you, General."

Samantha watched as Martin, Lauren and the rest of the crew headed towards the exit behind Bo's gurney. At the base of the ramp, Martin turned back towards the blonde soldier,

"General, this plane will lock itself down in about forty-five seconds after our Navigator leaves the plane." He nodded towards Tracker who remained at attention by the cockpit door before he continued,

"Anyone onboard at that time will be unable to exit and life support systems will shut down immediately after. We at Lewis Enterprises take the security of our designs quite seriously and the sharing of our technology was not part of our agreement in this joint mission."

"Understood." She replied, watching him make his exit. She turned back towards Tracker, "I expect that when you take your leave of this plane you will caution my people about exiting as well."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"I'll leave you to it then."

"Ma'am." He nodded, watching her turn and exit before he mumbled, "Don't like that woman even a little bit."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

The Chief of Surgery exited the operating room and pulled off his mask and gown, dumping them into the laundry bin. He walked slowly down the hallway, slowing as he saw the large crowd huddled in the waiting room surrounded by Canadian military personnel.

Kenzi stood with Lauren and walked to the surgeon with Martin, Tamsin, Hale, Doc, Admiral Burke, Specter, Scoop and Tracker closely behind.

"Next of kin?"

Kenzi stepped forward, "Sister and only living relative, present and accounted for."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Chief of Surgery, Doctor Peter Gerard. Okay to speak in front of this group?"

"This is the extended family of General Ysabeau Dennis and they are hanging on every word just like I am, Doc. Please get to it?"

"Of course. The damage to the General was extensive as I'm sure you know. Her intestine had fourteen lacerations which we repaired. One section was too badly damaged and had to be removed and resected. Do you understand what that means?"

"Anything I don't understand, the two with medical training in this group will explain. Please continue."

"We removed several pieces of shrapnel. One piece was in the outer layer of her heart muscle. Luckily it did not penetrate too deeply, but we did lose her twice on the table. She's a fighter, that one."

"So... she's alive?" Kenzi asked.

"Yes. Your sister is very much alive. She's in critical care, but she's alive and stable – for now."

"Can we see her?" Kenzi asked.

"I'm afraid it's family only for now."

"I'm family and this is her girlfriend. She goes with me." Kenzi said, pulling Lauren to stand beside her.

"Very well. Straight through those doors, third bay on the right."

"Thank you."

The guys shouted, "Tell her hi for us, Kenzi."

She turned, "I will."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Kenzi shook her head as she entered Bo's room and sat in one of the chairs beside her bed. She looked up at the machines counting everything from her oxygen saturation to her heart rate and sighed,

"Well, this isn't at all familiar, Sis. We really have got to stop meeting like this."

Lauren came to sit beside the younger sister, "I'm sorry you have to go through this again, Kenzi."

"Yea, well if she'd just stop pushing the envelope and taking things on by herself, she might now find herself in this shit-u-ation so often. She's just gotta be the hero."

"Well, if it's any consolation, that shouldn't be happening anymore now that she's a General... at least that's what Top told me about a month ago after the promotion. Bo said she was ready to step down and enjoy other aspects of life as well."

Kenzi chuckled, "Seeing as they're going to be tossing a whole lot of Generals into prison this month, they'll need replacements. I have a feeling my sis is going to be moving up the chain of command pretty quickly."

Lauren nodded her agreement, "She mentioned teaching fighter pilots and she also mentioned running a base. Who knows what she'll be offered and what she'll want to do. I just want her healthy and happy."

Kenzi nodded, "I've only ever known her to be happy when she was flying Mach 3 with her hair on fire. But lately, you seem to do it for her, Sketch. I hope you two can find some level of happy."

Lauren nodded, "Me too."

They sat watching the respirator go up and down in the glass cylinder before Kenzi spoke again,

"It's really quiet in here."

"Is that a bad thing?" Lauren asked.

"Aren't you supposed to talk to unconscious patients?" Kenzi asked.

"They say it helps."

"I think she'd like to listen to a movie."

"What movie?" Lauren asked.

"One of the old musicals our Dad used to like. Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Danny Kaye, Frank Sinatra... those guys. If not, then it was old TV shows like The Brady Bunch or Wonder Woman. She loved that invisible jet."

Lauren smiled, "I'll have to work on making that a reality."

"That would be awesome!" Kenzi smiled, pulling out her phone and loading a playlist. Once finished, she inserted her headphones and placed them carefully in Bo's ears. Placing the phone on the bed, she hit play and sat back in her seat,

"I went with our Dad's Old Time Movie Musicals playlist. She can't exactly see a movie anyway."

Lauren nodded, offering a tight smile, "Good call."

"Thanks."

The pair sat in silence for quite a while before Kenzi said, "This is sort of awkward, huh?"

"So much." Lauren replied.

"I guess we just have to get to know each other. You know... I wasn't a fan when we first met."

"Yea, I remember that."

"Sorry if I was harsh. I mean in all fairness, I thought you were following your Father's lead."

Lauren shook her head, "Nope. Just caught in the middle and questioning every decision he made. Of course, when the pilot is the sort of follow orders no matter what, it led me to go full speed ahead since I figured she knew what she was doing. We butted heads a bit..."

"She said you were controlling."

Lauren smiled, "Funny. She said the same thing about you."

"Well isn't that the pot calling the kettle."

The blonde chuckled, "Yea, I guess we all have a little control freak in us. I mean, I guess we have to in order to do the jobs we do. At the end of the day, we all have jobs that hold us accountable for what happens to others. It's the type of responsibility you have to take seriously."

Kenzi shrugged, "I never thought of it that way, but I guess you're right. And here, all this time, I thought I was controlling because I was an apple from my Mom's tree."

Lauren smiled.

"So... you love her, huh?"

"I do. I mean... maybe it's just that we've been thrown into this high octane situation together, but I'd like to think that when things get back to normal – whatever that will be now – that I'll still find myself... uh... you know."

"Wanting her lady bits?" Kenzi asked.

"Really, Kenzi?" Lauren leaned back in her chair, plopping her elbow on the wooden arm and eyed the younger sister.

"What?" Kenzi rolled her eyes.

"I'm not about to discuss my sex life with you – especially my sex life with your sister. That's just... well, not even deserving of this much of a response."

"Wow. A little frigid, Hotpants?"

"Excuse me?"

"What? Have you seen the way my sister eyeballs your ass?"

"Let's just sit here quietly, okay?"

"Fine."

Lauren turned away from the younger sister. It seemed they were back to the snark of their day one meeting. She supposed it was partly because Kenzi was nervous about her sisters' condition. Of course, they could actually be back to square one since what she had said earlier could have been interpreted as her not being sure of where things would go with her and Bo once this was all over.

She turned her gaze to the pilot in the bed. What would they have when this was all over? Lauren could barely remember how things began. She tried to remember... to rewind to a time when there were no conspiracies, attempted murders or military battles. In the moment, her mind was clouded with anything but gunfire. She hadn't really had time to think about it. She was taken from the safety of an airplane hangar to a firefight. She'd been around military installations for almost a decade now, but she had never known battle until now... the fear, the intensity and the death.

How did they get here? One minute, she was arguing with one Colonel Bo Dennis over a pre-flight check in a simulator and then next, she was looking at the now General being carried onto a gurney with half of her stomach contents hanging out. What really was their relationship based on? Did she fall for the hero and protector? Was she with her out of guilt over the part she played in putting her in the cockpit of the plane that had killed her Father? Was it the former physician in her sitting by this bedside or the girlfriend who truly loved this woman?

She wasn't sure, but her greatest fear was that somewhere in the deepest recesses of her mind, she was with the pilot so that she could, in some way, compensate for her own misgivings in the eyes of her Father for not becoming a military woman herself.

She looked down to see a single finger tapping out a beat against the sheets. Scanning Bo's body, she noticed a foot moving to the same rhythm. Both actions were slight, but Lauren knew that any movement this early after surgery was a good sign. Looking at her face, she did not see any expressions of pain or discomfort – another good sign.

"Kenzi, get the doctor."

She looked across Bo's body to see Kenzi sleeping soundly. She reached up and hit the call button above her bed. Shortly after, a nurse came into the room,

"She's moving." Lauren said, tipping her head towards Bo's feet and pointing towards her hand.

"They may just be muscle twitches." The nurse replied.

Lauren shook her head, disconnecting the headphones so that the music was playing aloud. She nodded her head in time to the rhythm and tapped her fingers next to Bo's simultaneously,

"That is not random. She is aware of the music on some level. Get the doctor, please."

The Nurse hesitated, causing Lauren to exhale a frustrated sigh, "I'm a physician. Please get the Chief of Surgery. He is the surgeon who operated on General Dennis."

Checking the name above the Bo's head, the Nurses' eyes went wide, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize..."

"Rank should have nothing to do with your response time, Miss. Please, get the doctor."

"Yes, Ma'am."

As the woman left the room, Lauren cringed internally. She was in a military hospital, which meant she should have called the woman by her rank, but frankly, she had not had time to review the Canadian military insignias to know what the woman was. She believed she was a Lieutenant, but was not certain.

Turning back to Bo, she replaced the ear buds and waited, her mind still filled with questions about the feelings she was feeling. She'd never want to mislead Bo. Maybe it was time to take a step back... get some perspective. Could she do that? Did she want to do that? How would Bo react? Lauren knew she had really taken a chance opening up her world to her. Of course, she had done the same for Bo... but still... before things got any more serious...

"I hear our patient is showing signs of consciousness?"

Lauren's head snapped up at the sound of the surgeon's voice, "She's tapping her foot and finger in time to the music."

He smiled, "So she is. That's good news."

Pulling a penlight from his lab coat pocket, he checked the Generals' pupils and smiled, "They're reactive and all of her vitals are improving. I'd suspect it won't be long until she's awake and complaining of pain considering the surgery she's had to tolerate."

They all turned towards the sound of Kenzi's voice when she laughed, "She won't be complaining about pain, Chief. It's more likely that she'll be trying to get out of bed to go visit the rest of her soldiers and Tops. Get out the restraints. You're about to enter a battle with one stubborn General Bo Dennis. You are doomed to suffer heavy losses."

He smiled at the young girl, "Is that so?"

"I'll bet your pension on it." Kenzi said, picking up her phone and changing the music, "That'll wake her up. She hates Disney music."

"Well, I'll be protecting my pension and assuming you're correct since I'm sure you've seen your sister in action."

"Seen her and flown with her. The girl is cray-cray." Kenzi said, winding her finger around the side of her head, "That's why she's in this bed... ran into a room and laid down on a grenade to save her peeps."

He nodded, "Some might call that bravery."

"Crazy bravery." Kenzi corrected.

Everyone turned towards Bo when they heard a groan, "Ugh. Turn down the damn kiddie tunes."

It was a mumble at best, but Kenzi laughed and removed the ear buds, "Works every time."

Lauren, the Chief and the Nurse all smiled as they watched the General struggle to open her eyes. It took a long moment, but when they finally opened, she saw the medical staff standing over her first,

"Doc. How bad is it?"

"Well, grenades do a lot of damage, but your medic did a great job patching you up to get you here in the best possible condition for us to fix that damage."

"How many stitches?" Bo asked.

The Chief chuckled, shoving his hands into his pockets, "Well, we had to do a lot more than give you some stitches."

"Give it to me straight, Doc."

"Well, let's go from the outside in then. On the outside, when the Lieutenant here changes your bandages, you'll notice that your abdomen has been stitched and glued back together."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, General, you did have a rather large hole in your abdomen, so we pulled together the four folds of skin to hold in the layers of muscle and organs beneath. You'll have some physical therapy to rebuild the damaged muscles. Thankfully, you had very thick muscle tissue, so we had more to work with than I originally thought."

"So those ab workouts finally paid off, huh?" Bo said sarcastically.

The surgeon nodded, "I had a plastics guy in there with me. He feels you should heal very well, considering."

Bo chanced a glance at Lauren to see her reaction to the idea that she would have marred skin, but the blonde's eyes were set on the surgeon, who pulled Bo's attention back to him as he continued,

"You internal organs – liver, spleen, gall bladder and pancreas - had some minor lacerations that should heal on their own without issue. We have you on I.V. antibiotics as a precaution for those as well as potential infection from some shrapnel we had to remove from a few ribs and your pelvis. Another piece of that shrapnel was imbedded in your heart – not deep enough to cause permanent damage to the heart muscle itself - but upon removal, it irritated your heart enough that we lost you twice on the table during surgery."

Bo's face went pale at that news as her eyes slowly traveled towards Kenzi,

"Yea, you almost orphaned me again. I hope you're done with the heroics for good now."

Her dark brown orbs filled with tears before she remembered her station and sucked back the emotions of the moment. Taking a breath, she moved sternly focused eyes back to the doctor who immediately noticed the change in his patients' demeanor and continued,

"As I mentioned, General, the most severely damaged area was your abdomen. The flack jacket did its job, but the concussive blast can still open up soft tissue. Think of it as you would a car in an accident. Even when there isn't much visible damage to the vehicle itself, the collision that occurs between occupants and other objects inside a vehicle may cause tremendous damage."

Bo gave a slight nod, "Right. I learned about concussive forces in basic when I was a kid."

"Of course." The Chief replied, "So you'll understand that since your lower gut took the brunt of the blast force, your intestines were shredded in some areas – particularly the lower portion where the flack jacket barely reached. You have a hairline fracture of your pelvis, so for now, we won't want you using your legs or trying to sit up on your own without using the support triangle hanging above your head."

Bo flipped back the lightweight bedspread, "Shit."

"I assume you're not a fan of catheters?"

"Are you?" Bo asked.

He chuckled, "I can't say I would be if I had every had one."

"Yea, well this is my third go around with peeing in a bag and it's definitely no fun."

Kenzi leaned back into her chair and crossed her legs, "Look at the bright side, BoBo. You don't have to worry about moving your broken lady bits to get to the bathroom to pee. Of course, the down side is that your lady bits are broken."

Bo blushed, hoping that Lauren's eyes weren't on her right now, "My lady bits are fine, Kenzi. My pelvic bone is what's fractured." He turned to the Chief, "Can we move past this and get to the internal damage?"

The Chief nodded, but the Nurse was clearly working hard to hold back her laughter at Kenzi's antics, so the he turned to the Lieutenant and handed her Bo's chart,

"Please send word to the General's superiors that she is awake and also let the soldiers waiting on word of her status that she is awake and improving. They'll be able to see her tomorrow as long as she continues to improve... two at a time between the hours of noon and 8pm."

"Yes, Sir." The Nurse replied, stepping out of the room.

He turned back to the General,

"Apologies for the Lieutenants' loss of composure..."

"No worries, Chief. My sister's sense of humor tends to draw that sort of reaction... usually at my expense. I've grown used to it over the years. It's why I banished her to Military Intelligence."

Bo chuckled, gripping her gut as Kenzi rolled her eyes,

"Har. Har."

"Back to it then, Doc. My gut?" Bo asked.

"Of course. In short, you had close to twenty lacerations on your bowel that had to be repaired. An entire section of your intestinal tract could not be repaired, so we cut that part out and reconnected the two clean ends. For that reason, you'll be in here until your body shows us that your intestines are working again."

"That means you need to poop a-sap, BoBo or you're not going anywhere." Kenzi said flatly.

Bo's patience had worn thin. The pain was rising and she just wanted to go back to sleep,

"Kenzi! Can you please just... shut it!"

"Cranky." She replied.

"Is that it, Doc?"

He nodded, "That pretty much sums it up. You're going to be here for a while, but I believe your Federal Agents and the Military brass that are walking around here will be keeping you busy."

"Military brass? What military brass?" Bo asked, her eyes going wide as Kenzi rose to her feet,

"There are not supposed to be any top military personnel here from the U.S. How did they..."

He waved them off, "Apologies. I misspoke. Your Federal Agents and the Canadian Military Brass are here. The only top U.S. military brass in this facility is your Admiral Burke and General Walker."

Bo looked at Lauren who then looked at the Chief and asked, "And General Flanders?"

"I'm sorry, General, Doctor Lewis but I don't know that name."

Bo looked at Kenzi, "Find him."

"I'm on it, Bo." Kenz replied, leaving the room in a hurry.

Bo reached blindly for Lauren's hand until the blonde caught it. She felt the room spin, "Not him, Lauren. Please not him."

"General, it is possible that he was taken to another hospital if he was in critical condition. While that may not make you feel any better, he may still be alive. With our own injured military present and three critical care cases from your team, we didn't have enough space to handle them all quickly, so we shipped two of the cases elsewhere and kept you here."

Bo scowled, "He's higher ranking and more important to the case than I am. He should have been in your care. Hell, a first year resident should have handled me by comparison."

"Like you, General, I follow orders. I was given your case and told to do whatever necessary to ensure your survival. I did just that."

Bo closed her eyes for a moment, gathering her anger before opening them to look at the Doctor again,

"Of course, Chief. I don't mean to sound ungrateful. He's just... he's important... to me. Thank you."

The Chief nodded, "You're welcome. Get some sleep, General. If you have trouble, ring that bell over your head and one of the nurses will give you something for the pain."

"Pain is a state of mind. I'm fine."

He smiled, "That's what your sister said you'd say. Glad to have kept my pension."

"Chief?"

"Never mind. Get some sleep, General. As the ranking medical officer, that's an order."

She smiled, flipping him a casual salute as he walked out the door. She watched as it slowly closed, then turned her eyes to Lauren,

"You've been quiet."

"Just letting you take it all in." Lauren replied.

"Are you freaked out by... well, everything you heard? Me almost dying... again?"

Lauren shrugged, "Maybe... a little. I just... like I said... I'm just taking it all in."

Bo smiled, "Oh, so now you're the one taking it all in. I thought you said you were letting me take it in."

Lauren's eyes moved to her hands, "I think we both just need to take a beat and take it all in. We've got a long road ahead of us with the trial and your recovery. I think we just need to breathe and take things one step at a time."

Bo frowned, "Are you asking for a break?"

"A breath." Lauren replied with a smile.

"There's a difference?" Bo asked.

Lauren shook her head, "A lot has happened in a very short time, Bo. When we started, we were easing into each other's lives and then we were thrust into the middle of a war zone. I just think we have to finish the battle and then let the dust settle."

"Funny. I thought we were in the battle together until the end." Bo replied, an edge to her voice.

"We are in this battle until the end." Lauren said, her voice confident.

"And when this battle is over? What then?" Bo asked, her voice cracking.

"Bo..."

She shook her head, "I think you should leave, Lauren."

"Bo..."

"Go. I need to sleep."

"Bo, please."

"Go." Bo said, turning her head away and closing her eyes.

But Lauren saw the tears begin to fall before she turned away. She wanted to reach out. She wanted to tell her pilot that everything would be okay... that she loved her... but instead, she stood and walked to the door. She paused for a moment and turned back,

"Please call me if you need anything."

Bo's eyes remained closed, a few more tears betraying her as they squeezed through her lids and down her cheeks. Lauren's eyes, too, filled and overflowed as she opened the door and quietly left the room.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Lauren was strolling along the corridor of the hospital, having just stopped in to see Haus and then Chief. Haus' bullet wounds were both through and throughs that had passed only through muscle tissue, so he would be fine. Chief, on the other hand had burns over forty percent of his body, most to his arms, legs and back. He was expected to make it, but it was going to be a long recovery. He had joked about finally getting that honorable discharge and a medal to boot. He said he never would have gotten either sitting around a hangar fixing planes, so was glad to finally see some action.

She was now on her way to see General Walker who was also on the road to a full recovery, but she had stopped for a cup of coffee. She was tired and her mind was racing with thoughts of Bo. Truth be told, her heart ached at the pain her silence had caused, but when Bo started tossing out accusations, her words failed her. She could have handled the conversation better, but... well, who was she kidding? That conversation was destined to go poorly because Bo was bound to be hurt regardless of how gently Lauren told her she wanted to take a step back and slow things down until after the trial.

The truth was that right now, she wanted to run back to Bo's room and crawl into bed next to her, but she feared it was just because she wanted the security of the strong soldier beside her. When had she come to need her so much? Was that a bad thing? She'd never needed anyone before...

She was pulled from her thoughts when her arm was grabbed roughly and she was spun around until she was standing face-to-face with Tamsin. In that moment, she knew why her call sign was Rage.

"How could you! How could you do this to her now?" The blonde shouted, her hands balled into fists at her side while her face morphed into a twisted mass of emotions that Lauren was having trouble reading.

"I... uh... what?"

"What? That's all you have to say right now? You dump an injured soldier when she's at her worst?"

"I didn't. I... she asked me to leave... I..."

"That's not what she said! She said you wanted space!"

"I do... I mean... I just... it's all... too much... it's just..."

"Too much? She took a downed plane, bullets and a grenade to protect you... to protect all of us and it's too much for _you_?"

Lauren stopped her whirlwind of thoughts and focused on the blonde's last words. She put up both hands, her eyes closed before she slowly pulled her gaze back up to Tamsin's and asked,

"Wait... are you suggesting that I should be with Bo because I owe my life to her? That's what you believe is the reason that we should be a couple? That's funny, because I was thinking it would have more to do with me being in love with her and wanting to share a future with her."

"Yea, but... well... I mean... she needs you right now!"

Lauren nodded, "And I'm standing right here in this hospital. I haven't left. I was just on my way to see General Walker after seeing Haus and Chief. I also intend to visit every other surviving member of our team."

She turned back to the window and spoke, "I'm not a soldier, Tamsin, but I have seen war. The last time I saw war, it messed up my head... badly. Somehow in these last months, I was tossed back into it again. I stood by Bo's side regardless and now... now I'm questioning if what I've been feeling is real or not. I want to be sure that I'm not with her because I have some sort of hero worship thing going on. I think it's also important that we not just be seeking comfort from one another because of the situation we're in. I want something real... not something manufactured by circumstance."

She turned to face Tamsin, "So I told Bo I thought we just needed to take a breath and get through this trial. I want to be sure that these feelings I'm feeling are the real deal before we get in any deeper."

Tamsin stared out the window for a long moment, "You're trying to protect her heart."

"Yes. Because I know she doesn't offer it easily. I know I should have resisted her advances, once I knew what was happening with Tops, but she was... very convincing."

Tamsin nodded, "Yes, she can certainly be that."

Lauren turned quickly to the blonde, "The two of you..."

"Oh, no. No, no, of course not. I just meant that... well, the whole reason she's laid up in that bed is because of how convincing she was in that mission."

Lauren smiled, "True."

"Look, I'm sorry for the way I came down on you. It's obvious you're trying to be... responsible with Bo's heart and... well, I appreciate it."

They both turned to the voice of Kenzi,

"You bitch!"

Tamsin stepped in front of Lauren, placing a hand on Kenzi's chest, "Stop. Just, stop."

She looked over her shoulder at Lauren, "Go. I'll talk to her."

Lauren gave Kenzi a quick glance before turning and walking away. Tamsin turned back to Kenzi,

"I talked to her, now I need you to listen because then both of us are going to talk to Bo." Tamsin said, "And before you ignore me and run after her, Lauren is doing the right thing. She's not a soldier, Kenzi... she doesn't have the training we have and none of us are considering that right now. Her head is spinning over what she's just been through and no one has taken a moment to think about that. Now, walk with me so I can explain."

"Where are we going." Kenzi said, her temper still flaring.

"To talk to Martin."

"What?"

"Come on." Tamsin said, pulling her by the arm.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Tamsin and Kenzi sat together on one side of Bo's bed, waiting for her to say something in response to what they had told her about the conversation Tamsin had with Lauren and then Martin. It took a while, but finally, she opened her eyes and looked at them,

"Do you think she has PTSD?" Bo asked.

Tamsin shrugged, "I'm not shrink, but I suppose it's possible. Martin said she never saw a shrink after her stint in Afghanistan. I'd imagine she's been carrying around some pretty horrific images since then. Honestly, she's only spoken unless necessary since we carried you onto the cargo plane with your guts hanging out. I think you went from this sweet little courtship to the realization that you were a soldier on the front lines."

"Reality check." Bo replied.

Kenzi shrugged, "We've all been through it before."

Tamsin added, "Hells, we're all going through it again. Kenzi hasn't seen Hale since he disappeared into that room with the Feds two days ago. Wrench is in a medically induced coma and here you are with your guts being held in by glue while Lauren's mind is running the last months on rapid replay. I think Lauren's right, Bo. I think we all just need to take a breath. Don't be in such a hurry. She's not going anywhere just yet. Give her some time to work this through and see you as you are when people aren't trying to murder you."

Bo smiled and nodded, "I guess I overreacted, huh?"

Tamsin stretched her arms behind her head, "Understandable, but yea, I think you did."

"Okay. When you see her, can you ask her to stop by? I'd like to talk to her."

Kenzi and Tamsin looked at each other, but Bo didn't give them time to say anything,

"Really, guys. I'm fine. I just want to reassure her that whatever she's feeling it's okay."

The two nodded in reply.

"I'm going to sleep now."

"Again?" Kenzi asked.

"I can't help it, Kenz. I'm just exhausted."

Tamsin nudged Kenzi, "It's okay, Bo. Your body is working a lot of O.T. to heal. Let it do its thing. We'll stop back later. I'm going to go sit with Manes."

"Yea, because your comatose boyfriend is so entertaining." Kenzi snarked.

"Yea, well he's better than your absentee boyfriend." Tamsin snapped back.

"Bye ladies."

"Au revoir mon Generale!" Kenzi mocked.

"Stick to Russian! Your French is horrible." Bo shouted, half laughing as the pair left the room.

The silence surrounded the pilot quickly. It always did when guests left the room. She knew it wouldn't be long until another visitor would show up if she didn't tell Kenzi she wanted to sleep... but she had told her. Right now, she welcomed the silence. The only person she wanted to talk to was Lauren. If she came, she would likely sit and watch her sleep rather than wake her. That was the doctor part that still lived inside the blonde whether she wanted to admit it or not.

Right now, she had to surrender to the fact that there was nothing she could do to fight the physical condition of her body... surrender the worry in her mind about her soldiers... surrender the need to act with regards to the case against her Father's murderers... and surrender to the ache in her heart over what would happen with Lauren. She needed to trust that if she allowed herself to be patient, with time, all would work out as it was meant to. She allowed her mind to drift back to the first day she'd met Doctor Lauren Lewis in the conference room on base. She remembered the fine strands of blonde hair pushed behind her ear, the glasses mounted halfway down her nose, and a pencil squeezed tightly between her perfect pink lips as she feverishly rifled through her briefcase for a document. Smiling, Bo closed her eyes and allowed sleep to claim her.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_


	7. Chapter 7: Healing

_**A/N: Hey LG Fans! Sorry for the longer-than-expected delay. I had said this would be the last chapter, but then the story took a little detour. Chapter 8 just needs a proofread, so it should be just around the bend from this one. Both chapters are long, but line the story up for its inevitable end. You'll start to get a feel for who survived in this chapter and who is still questionable. As always, thanks for your continued support, for reading and reviewing!**_

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Chapter 7: Healing**_

Lauren strolled through the dimly lit, silent hallways of the hospital's critical care unit. It was late at night, but the Nurse on duty had allowed her entrance when she told her that the General had requested a moment to talk. Of course, she didn't mention that it had taken Tamsin about six hours to find her. She had bounced from room to room, visiting each member of the platoon. She'd even found General Flanders, thankfully. He was in an intensive critical care unit and not expected to survive, but they were working hard against all odds.

Evony had been there, so Lauren had updated her on Bo's condition. The Agent was waiting in hopes that she could get a statement from General Flanders if he rose to consciousness, but even she agreed there was little hope of that happening due to the extent of his injuries from the blast. She had learned that his injuries were sustained from shielding General Walker, which explained why Tops injuries were minor by comparison. Eventually, a more junior agent came to replace Evony in the waiting room and Lauren was once again left alone with her thoughts as she stared through the glass of the General's room. It was difficult to separate him from Bo in her mind. War was ugly. It just didn't make any sense. None of this made any sense.

As happened frequently since returning to a military base – especially a military hospital - Lauren's mind drifted to the time when this was her life. It was a world of stitching wounds ten times larger than those she'd cared for during her residency at civilian-run Boston General. It was a world of emergency surgeries done on stretchers in hallways.

In the field, surrounded by nothing but a camouflaged tent and a sandy floor, was a world where the slow and calculated textbook surgeries she'd learned to perform with steady expertise using sterile tools, were cast aside in favor of speed using hack surgical techniques. When supplies ran low, you used whatever you could find to save a life. She felt more like MacGyver than a surgeon.

 _ **Flashback...**_

 _She had been in one of the surgical tents checking patients when a group of Nurses surprised her with a birthday party. One of the Nurses had given her some sort of vine-like plant with a bamboo trellis, another gave her some clay and a sculpting kit – not that she was an artist, but the woman had suggested they could relive the scene from Ghost one night. Lauren had blushed and continued to open her gifts when they began to sing Happy Birthday. Looking up, she saw one of the Nurses named Jean carrying a Twinkie on a paper plate with a single candle in it. She performed the required candle blowing ritual and they divided the "cake" into six equal parts._

 _Just as they began to eat what Lauren referred to as a 'random conglomerate of chemicals', a siren sounded. They moved the table away and sanitized their hands awaiting the wounded. A soldier with a fractured airway landed on her table, leading Lauren to call for a tracheotomy kit. When Jean opened the supply drawer to comply with the Doctor's request, she found it empty._

" _Doctor Lewis, there are no kits left!"_

 _Lauren shook her head, "Shit!"_

 _Pausing for a long moment, the Doctor's eyes drifted to the table where they'd opened the gifts. Suddenly, it hit her..._

" _Jean, get me the Bamboo plant you gave me!"_

" _What?" Jean asked, her face wondering what her bamboo plant had to do with saving a man's life._

 _Lauren shook her head, "Please - I'm sorry - but I need that plant to save this man's life."_

 _Jean called to another Nurse, "Sue, give me the plant!"_

 _Lauren called out to the group, "Does anyone have a pocket knife? Any kind of knife at all?"_

 _She watched as the women searched their persons. Dawn responded first, "There's the plastic knife we used for the Twinkie?"_

 _Lauren waved her off, and then followed Cara's celebratory voice as she ran towards the stretcher with a wooden box in her hand, "Here! Here! I have a... well, I don't know what it is, but it came out of the sculpting tool set I got you with the clay. Will this work?"_

 _Lauren scanned the box and found a more rounded tool with a sharp end and sides, "This is perfect! Break off a piece of that bamboo plant – about 6 inches long and run water mixed with hand sanitizer through it. You have to get it as clean as possible. Bamboo is naturally resistant to bacteria which is why it's so popular for cutting boards._

 _Cara whispered to Jean, "She's really focused."_

 _Christina asked, "How do you know?"_

 _Jean smiled, "You're new, but you'll learn the habits of these doctors very quickly. When Doctor Lewis is zoned into her work, she starts spitting out random – and sometimes very interesting facts – about... well..."_

" _Anything and everything. The woman is a genius. She's a full-fledged Doctor at twenty-three."_

" _Whoa." Christina said as the two women moved back to Lauren's table._

 _Lauren popped her head up as an announcement was made, "Bad news, Docs! These soldiers are from a supply plane that was shot down. Sorry, but the supplies they were carrying were yours. Sucker blew sky high just after they got these guys off. You're gonna have to wait another few days for the next supply run."_

" _Unacceptable!" General Torino, the commanding officer of the M.A.S.H. units replied, dropping everything, "Get me on the horn to Tops stateside. We can't wait that long. We're out of everything here!"_

 _Lauren turned back to her patient and looked up at Jean, "Please tell me we have something in there to suction this incision or he's going to drown in his own blood when I cut. Cara, I need O2."_

 _Jean replied, "No suction, Doc."_

" _Shit. Go next door to the mess tent and see if they have a turkey baster. Cara?"_

 _Cara held up two canisters of oxygen, "We've got the O2, but no tubes or masks."_

" _Dammit!" Lauren replied, frustrated, "His respirations are getting very shallow and the bruising is showing. He's got blood in his airway. We're running out of time here."_

" _Can't you fix the airway?" Christina asked._

 _Lauren shook her head, "We don't have the imaging equipment or the tools to do this type of surgery here. We just need to get him into a position to survive the flight to Germany. There, they'll provide a permanent fix."_

 _She stared at him a bit longer before she looked at Christina, "Go to the mess, get me a plastic baggie – Ziploc if they have them - some string or something strong and fine like fishing line."_

 _Christina nodded and started to fun, but Lauren yelled, "And a balloon! Something stretchy and rubber!"_

 _Jean came in with the baster, "Here!"_

" _Great. Use that to suction the wound while I cut. Cara, I know we're low on gloves, but I'm going to need one if we get an arterial bleed. Do we have sterile gauze?"_

 _Cara nodded, "Already got it."_

" _How many pieces?" Lauren asked._

" _Just one."_

" _Great." Lauren replied sarcastically, "Grab the napkins from the birthday table."_

" _Cutting." Lauren said, pressing the tool into the soft spot just above the breast bone, "Shit! Suction!"_

Lauren pressed her eyes shut at the memory. Her patient had almost bled out, but as luck would have it, Christina arrived with everything she'd needed. She'd found a small fragment of bone that had been the cause of the bleeding, stitched it with the only suture kit they'd had left and then rigged the oxygen using the neck of the balloon between the tank and the piece of bamboo inserted into the airway. She then made a tent over his nose and mouth by taping the Ziploc bag to his skin.

It was ugly, but it worked. She'd received a Christmas card from that pilot every year since it had happened. He'd showed up at Lewis Enterprises a few years ago with his wife and newborn son. He wanted Lauren to know that if it weren't for her, he wouldn't have had his two most precious gifts. He also brought her a Twinkie since he'd heard his surgery had interrupted her birthday cake.

Lauren smiled at the memory. It was a small splinter of light in an otherwise dark time in her life. Most days, she was grateful for her new career, but medicine had been her dream for so long, it was sometimes hard to let go of the urge to practice again. Most days, like today, that urge was pushed into submission when she looked at patients like General Flanders. Third degree burns over most of his body with so much nerve damage he would likely never walk again if he did survive.

This was not a world she wanted to return to... a world where she felt smothered by the lingering hopelessness that critical care provided... a world where the stench of death flooded her senses and followed her home each night. She belonged in the world of machines now. She much preferred the smell of metal and oil on a machine that could help someone breathe, than the machine that ejected high-velocity pieces of metal into human flesh, creating the carnage she witnessed while on active duty in the role of Doctor.

Lauren was so distracted by her thoughts that she didn't even realize she had arrived at Bo's room until the Military Police asked to see her identification. She fumbled through her pockets, finding the wallet-sized leather bi-fold and presented it. He looked carefully at the photo, then at Lauren, then back at the photo again before opening the door and allowing her entry.

Lauren stepped into the dark room quietly, her eyes traveling to the monitors out of habit. Once she was sure that everything looked normal, she gazed upon the sleeping patient. She had enough experience in hospitals to know that a patient in Bo's condition was more likely asleep than awake, but she had hoped for the chance to speak with her... to clear the air about her bumbling response earlier.

She sighed and took a seat at Bo's bedside. She was grateful she had found the small hospital gift shop where she'd been able to purchase a booklight, brainteaser magazine and a pen to keep her mind occupied in the dark, quiet patient rooms she'd visited for most hours of each day. She found comfort in doing the puzzles in this place and it kept her mind from wandering to the events of her past.

In her childhood, Lauren's Mom would give her similar puzzle books to occupy her time. She was an awkward and timid youngster who loved reading fantasy novels and doing anything that challenged her mind in science and math, so her Mom indulged her passions. For Lauren, it was a great way to escape social situations and the adult dinner parties that surrounded her.

As she opened to the next crossword in the book, she was well aware that she was using this simple collection of puzzles to escape as she had so long ago. As an adult, she'd substituted a drafting table and drafting pencils for the puzzles, spending hours designing new planes and now that she thought about it, planes that could have performed better in their recent combat situation.

She sat up straight, an epiphany striking in the moment. Maybe all of this wasn't for nothing. Maybe this experience would allow her to build better planes that could better defend the personnel inside. Better planes meant less likelihood that a pilot or onboard personnel would end up on a surgeon's table in some M.A.S.H. tent. Another realization struck. Her head snapped up and she whispered to the dark, quiet room,

"That's it. That's why I left medicine. That's why I became an aeronautical engineer. I never really left medicine at all."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Hours later in another area of the hospital...**_

If the cold, dark gray concrete walls of the basement room were meant to intimidate, they were doing a good job. The four young Airman sat together, fumbling with their uniform collars and ties, adjusting their cuffs and wiping sweat from their brows. They had been sitting in the room waiting for over an hour now. Finally, Bud spoke, his voice projecting the panic he was feeling,

"What are we doing here? We already gave our statements at the Farmhouse! We played all of the recordings in time stamped order for both of the Feds! Something's wrong. I know it. They got to the Canadians and they're coming down here to shut us all up – permanently! Hell, they probably already destroyed our recordings! We've got nothing!"

It was Stevie who spoke next, "We have everything because there are five backup copies that I've mailed to five friends with orders to release them over the internet if any of us end up dead, so calm your ass down. Besides, we've got General Dennis. Her word is gold."

"They tried to kill her too... like a hundred times! She doesn't have any power! We were stupid to trust her." Bud replied.

"Calm down, Bud. We don't know anything yet. You're letting your imagination run wild." Earl said, trying to calm the room.

"Look around you, Earl! No windows, only one door. We ain't getting' outta here alive. Any fool can see that. I should have worn earplugs. I wish I'd never heard anything Tops said."

Stevie shook his head, "You don't mean that. You're a good man, Bud - a scaredy-cat, but a good man. You never would have forgiven yourself if they had killed all the people on that base. They gathered them all up and stationed them all in one place. We all know what they were plottin' and we did the right thing stoppin' it, so quit your babbling and calm down. We got people on our side."

"Yea, well I didn't trust that Fed lady from the start. Still don't. Any woman who dresses like the devil made her specifically to weaken a man at the loins can't be trusted. She's entirely too hot to be a Fed. She's a plant, meant to infiltrate our intelligence operation so they could finish off their plan. I'm tellin' you, we're as good as dead if we don't' get outta here!" Bud crossed his arms over his chest with a huff to punctuate his theory.

Earl laughed, "Right. They brought in a hot tamale to take down an intelligence operation run by four Airman barely experienced enough to shine their shoes. They were never worried about the likes of us. Why do you think they talked so openly in front of us? We were nothing but dumb southern boys to those high-horse, no good, rich, lying, cheating, scheming, Generals."

Stevie smiled, "And that was their first mistake. They took us for granted and didn't show us enough respect or credit for having brains. They just thought we were dumb swamp kids, but we'll show them. We're good men who've been taught right from wrong. We got morality and we put it to use. No matter what happens, I know we did the right thing by our fellow soldiers and our country. If I die, I die with a clean conscience."

Bud shrugged, "Well, if it's all the same to you, I'd rather not die today."

The door swung open and Evony, adorned in red stiletto heels and a black dress immediately drew Bud's eyes to her petite frame. She laughed as she sat down across from the men and crossed her legs,

"No one's dying today, boys, so you can quit your whining, Bud. Your friends are correct. You're on the right side. We've kept a very tight circle of agents and Canadian officials working on this case so there could be no leaks. The entire investigation is being handled out of the lower floor of this hospital far away from the prying eyes of American officials. As we speak, the last of the suspects have been taken into Federal custody and brought to the northern border for holding far away from anyone that could rescue them in D.C.."

"Really?" Stevie asked, "We're not going to D.C. for trial?"

Agent Lambert entered the room carrying a file box and dropped it to the table, "Really and no, we are not heading to D.C. for trial. We don't know where we're going – that is being kept a secret until we are all moved – even from us. We are not taking any chances on any of our witnesses being taken out by loyalists to the Generals or the damn politicians who are in on this case. Now, we just have to go through all of this again to make sure we're not missing anything... to plug the holes in the ship, if you will."

Stevie shook his head, "We're Air Force, not Navy, Sir."

"Fair enough." He said, pulling out a recording device and the stack of tapes, "So, we have to go through these and record your testimonies in conjunction with the tapes. Get comfortable boys, it's going to be a long night."

The men adjusted themselves in their seats and placed their hands on the table. Lambert connected the player to the video recording device and gave a nod to Evony. The Agent identified herself, stated the date and then allowed Lambert to do the same. She then addressed the Airman at the table,

"For the record, please state your name and rank."

The men worked their way down the line,

"Senior Airman Bud Lancing, call sign Eyes, Ma'am."

"Senior Airman Earl Barley, call sign Ears, Ma'am."

"Airman First Class Jonathan Ross, call sign Tracker, Ma'am."

"Airman Stephen "Stevie" Rodgers, call sign Scoop, Ma'am."

"Now, it is our understanding that the four of you had overheard a discussion that would qualify as treason. Instead of reporting that conversation, you chose to begin a series of recording sessions. Can you explain why you did not simply report to your senior officer?"

Earl replied, "Ma'am, the discussion I first overhead involved both my Senior and Commanding Officers, General Ward Hanes and then General George Marshall, the now Secretary of Defense. It also involved via satellite phone, General Hank Green who was over at Nellis at the time. It was those three men who we first overheard plotting what we believed to be an assassination attempt of all personnel at Nellis, Ma'am."

"Let the record show that we will now play a recording of the first conversation referred to by Senior Airman Earl Barley in his opening statement. Senior Airman Barley has sworn the recording was created in the office of then-General George Marshall as he operated the radio and satellite phone."

She gave a nod to Agent Lambert who hit the play button and sat back. The voices of the Generals filled the room as Evony reclined, a proud smirk fixed firmly on her mouth.

 _Door slamming, chair moving across the floor..._

 _General George Marshall: "Ward, have you got Hank on the line yet?"_

 _General Ward Hanes: "Greetings, George. Hank's on the line with us."_

 _Marshall: "Line is secure?"_

 _Hanes: "Affirmative, Sir."_

 _Marshall: "Hank? You there?"_

 _General Hank Green: "Reading you 5-by, General."_

 _Marshall: "Damn good to hear your voice, Hank. How's things at Nellis?"_

 _Green: "Moving along as planned, Sir."_

 _Marshall: "That daughter of yours in place?"_

 _Green: "Yes, Sir. She doesn't suspect a thing."_

 _Marshall: "Good, good. Time we clean up this Jack Dennis mess once and for all. We're gonna clean it up good."_

 _Green: "That's the goal, Sir. Only blemish on the record."_

 _Marshall: "Well, we're gonna treat that zit with some Clearasil. Make it like it never existed. Wipe out the entire program and the line that flew it. Run through the personnel list, have you? We've got everyone on site who was ever a part of the program?"_

 _Green: "Lauren didn't question a thing. I taught that girl how to follow orders... her Mother too. These women today don't know their place is in the home making babies."_

 _Hanes: "You're right there. Seems your little girl didn't know that either. Got herself a girlfriend, I hear."_

 _Green: "Nah. I put a stop to that quick when I pulled her into the program. Keepin' her so busy she won't have time for nothing but sleep."_

 _Marshall: "We got Flanders and Walker out there yet?"_

 _Green: "They're here alright. Walker's already being a pain in my ass. Looking over my shoulder every move I make."_

 _Marshall: "Be patient, Hank. Like it or not, he outranks you and could take command if he sees fit."_

 _Green: "And if he does?"_

 _Marshall: "We add him to the list of casualties when the tragedy occurs on base."_

 _Hanes: "Are our oceanic allies ready to make their donation to fixing our military?"_

 _Marshall: "We're just waiting on our Navy counterparts. Apparently some big wig Admiral name of Burke has been poking around. Has connections to Dennis. We'll snuff him out sure enough if he gets in the way, but we don't think he's in the know."_

 _Hanes: "I know Burke. Straight up guy. He won't come on board with us."_

 _Marshall: "Didn't think he would, but he's stuck out on a carrier in the middle of the Bering Sea. Too far away to help Dennis if she starts getting herself into trouble and close enough to our oceanic allies if we need the ship to befall a tragedy of its own."_

 _**Sounds of someone clearing their throat**_

 _Green: "Who's that?"_

 _Marshall: "That's my Airman. He won't be talking, don't worry. We have an agreement. He goes deaf for these conversations and he gets to keep his ears as well as his life. Right boy?"_

 _Barley: "Sir, yes, Sir."_

 _Marshall: (chuckling) "The boys' call sign is Ears. He'd have to change his call sign if I decided to take those ears of his."_

 _Green: "I have a similar agreement with my boy on this end, call sign Eyes. Quite a pair we've got here, General, ain't that right? I take this boys' eyes and we'd have to pair them up so they could get around."_

 _**Sound of all three men laughing**_

 _Marshall: "Hanes, let me know the progress on that ship to shore tragedy package from your carrier."_

 _Hanes: "Roger that, General. Still only know it's in transit. The yield should be sufficient. We should be able to launch just before we're in range of the shore when you call my carrier back. We'll hit the target, no problem. Just make sure that radar is down."_

 _Marshall: "We figured a way to taper that ship's crew down to our personnel only, Hanes?"_

 _Hanes: "Green and I are coordinating for that, Sir._

 _Green: "We're making it a joint military operation so we can get all of our personnel in position and pull out anyone we don't want witnessing things."_

 _Marshall: "So you're using our targets to put our plan into action?"_

 _Green: "Yes, Sir. Yes we are."_

 _Marshall: (laughing) "Now that's what I call poetic justice. Jack Dennis will roll over in his grave."_

 _Hanes: "Serves the bastard right for threatening to blow the whistle on us. We should all be at the top of the game by now."_

 _Marshall: "Well, after next weeks' vote, you fellas should be calling me Mr. Secretary."_

 _Green: "Music to our ears, Sir. That will put you in the seat to pull everything together for us and put Jack Dennis and Carl Flanders in our rear view."_

 _Marshall: "Hell with the rear view. I want those snitches beneath my well-shined boot heels."_

 _Hanes: "Amen to that."_

 _Marshall: "Hanes, is your daughter on board? We'll need her to provide the distraction to Jack's little girl."_

 _Green: "Don't forget the younger sister. That'll be on you, George. You got my notes on her background, right?"_

 _Marshall: "I did. Just a little concerned about her Russia ties. I've already told them to be careful about who they talk to since she could know them. Her connections go to the top. You guys just make sure the older Dennis sister gets distracted when we need her to be."_

 _Green: "Shouldn't be too hard. I hear that girls' a real leg spreader."_

 _Hanes: "My daughter says she's easy. She's already made contact. She'll get the job done. She knows what's at stake."_

 _Marshall: "Good girl. Now Hank, that brainiac daughter of yours gets too close..."_

 _Green: "No loyalties there, General. I barely know the girl."_

 _Marshall: "Good, good. Shame, really. She could build us some good planes if she wasn't so controlling like Dennis was."_

 _Green: "It's apparent that his apple didn't fall far from the tree, Sir. Stick is just as controlling as Papa Bear was."_

 _Marshall: "Shame when soldiers can't just do their jobs and keep their mouths shut."_

 _Green: "Shame indeed, Sir."_

 _Marshall: "Okay men. If you have nothing else to offer, I've got a Jeep waiting outside to take me to the airport. I've gotta be in D.C. by morning."_

 _Hanes: "Next call time, Sir?"_

 _Marshall: "Let's say... two days at 2300 hours. That work for you boys?"_

 _Hanes: "Roger that, General."_

 _Green: "Roger that, General."_

 _Marshall: "Chat then boys. Smooth seas to you, Hanes. Clear skies, Green."_

 _Hanes and Green: "Thank you, Sir."_

 _Marshall: "Marshall out."_

Evony turned to the Airman sitting opposite her, "Let the record show that the recording contained herein was held with both Senior Airman present and operating the radios at their respective locations that evening. Present in the conversation were General Ward Hanes, then-General George Marshall, who is now the U.S. Secretary of Defense and General Hank Green who was present via satellite com link."

Ryan spoke, "I have verified the time, location and direction of the call and confirmed it was from the office of then-General George Marshall to the office of General Hank Green. Written record of this fact has been filed in the court documents."

Evony turned to Scoop, "It is my understanding that you lived in the barracks with Senior Airman Earl Barley and Airman 1st Class Jonathan Ross. Is that correct, Airman Rodgers?"

Stevie leaned forward into the mic, causing it to squeal.

Evony cringed, moving the microphone back from his mouth, "You can sit straight in your seat, Airman. The mic will pick up your voice. No need to lean forward."

"Yes, Ma'am. Sorry Ma'am."

Evony nodded, "Please continue."

Stevie hesitated, staring at the mic for a moment before he spoke, "Yes Ma'am. I lived in the barracks with Ears and Tracker... that is... Senior Airman Earl Barley and Airman 1st Class Jonathan Ross."

"So how did the three of you come to know Senior Airman Bud Lancing?" Evony asked.

"Ears... I mean... Earl... Barley... they had to speak before the Generals got on the line... you know... to make the connection. When they finished the call, they were both sort of stunned. Earl, Jonathan and I were buddies since basic. We always trusted each other. Hell, Johnnie even told us about him and Mary Sue Clinger behind the stadium in... well... uh... anyway... Earl told us what the Generals said and asked us what we thought he should do."

Evony nodded, "And your recommendation was that he do what?"

"Well, you can't very well report someone who is planning to take out our own soldiers to the person making the plan, so we decided to keep backup recordings of the base records. We figured they'd want to destroy any records of their calls, so that was our first priority. We knew from their calls that there were other players in high places, so we decided we had to wait until we could report it to someone who wasn't in on their plan. It sounded like General Flanders and General Walker were potential targets, so we figured that reporting it to them would be our best bet."

Evony turned to Bud, "Senior Airman Lancing, were you the one to report the intelligence to General Walker then?"

He shook his head, "No Ma'am. Not the first one. Our plan was for me to collect intel on General Walker and Admiral Hanes. He kept coming to base for some reason and since we don't usually have Navy guys coming to our base frequent like, it was suspicious. We agreed to plant recorders in places they were using. They were creatures of habit, so we could hear more of their conversations. It paid off. We found out who all they were targeting, when and why. Once we knew Walker wasn't in on it, we used one of our pilots to get the information to the proper authority."

Evony turned to Stevie, "And that was you?"

Stevie nodded, "Yes, Ma'am. I reported that we were taping the Generals to Colonel Tamsin Sorensen, call sign Rage."

"So Sorensen helped you?"

Stevie shook his head, "No Ma'ma. She helped the pilots. She put them on notice so they'd be safe. I worked with Command Chief Master Sergeant Ellison. His hands were on every plane before they went up. Between him and Doc Lewis, I figured every pilot would be safe if they knew to check them for tampering."

Evony turned to Lambert, "We'll need Sorensen next."

Ryan flipped the switch on the camera, "She's with Wrench. He took a turn."

There was a commotion among the men in the room at that statement. Stevie was first to speak,

"Manes died?"

Lambert turned back to the men, "They're doing all they can for him. He's not dead yet and he's got a lot to live for. He's hard in love with that woman and if I know Tamsin, she's sitting by his bedside screaming at him to fight right now."

"Ma'am. If we have to stop until Rage is available, can we..."

"You're excused gentlemen. But we reconvene in this room in five hours. Understood?"

They all checked their watches, "0600 hours, Ma'am. Got it."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Looking up at the sound of a groan from Bo, Lauren closed her pen in her puzzle book and placed it on the nightstand. She slid forward on the chair and peeked up at the monitors, immediately noticing that Bo's heart rate was elevated. She checked the finger monitor to make sure it was properly in place and looked at the numbers again. Sure enough, the heart rate was elevated and she was also running a fever.

"Dammit, Bo." She cursed, hitting the button for the nurse.

A new nurse was on staff this evening, but this one seemed to be much more cordial,

"I believe you're Doctor Lewis? Is there a problem?"

Lauren smiled and shook the extended hand of the nurse who added, "I'm Captain Amanda Russo, the Head Nurse on duty tonight. I was given strict orders to make General Dennis my top priority."

She nodded, "That is very kind, but I would not recommend telling her about those orders. She is very much the 'take care of my soldiers first' type."

She smiled, "I see. Since the General is sleeping, I assume you pressed the call button, Doctor? Is there a concern?

Lauren exhaled a quick chuckled, her eyes dropping to the floor before she explained,

"Well, let's get the title clarification out of the way first, shall we? While I was once a surgeon, the title now belongs to an aeronautical engineering doctorate. The name is Lauren."

She smiled awkwardly before continuing,

"That said, I am concerned that the General seems to have spiked a fever despite the antibiotic she's receiving. Also, while the elevated heart rate may be due to the fever, I do have a concern it may be related to the shrapnel removed from her pericardium in surgery earlier. She did code twice, so I just believe it prudent to cover all of the bases."

"I agree, Lauren. I believe I will page the Chief as a precaution. I'm sure he would want to be aware of the change in her condition. He had not planned to leave the hospital tonight. He is consulting on two other cases with your soldiers – one by phone at our other hospital and one here in the critical care unit."

Lauren nodded, "I suppose those would be General Flanders and Lieutenant Commander Manes."

The nurse nodded, running a quick EKG before checking Bo's I.V. flow and making notes in her chart based on the readings on the monitors,

"The fever is relatively low, so it's not a grave concern at this point. We'll see if the doctor agrees. He may want to change the antibiotic, but he may follow protocol and wait another twenty-four hours to see if she responds. Some infection was expected with the nature of the injury."

Lauren nodded, "Nothing that was used to pack her wound was sterile, so I can agree with that."

The nurse bobbed her head in reply before moving on to her other concerns,

"Her EKG definitely shows some irritability. Now that is not unheard of during a dream state in patients who have had cardiac procedures. As I'm sure you know, dreams can bring on surges in epinephrine as memories of battle scenes or other unpleasant moments replay in the subconscious mind. She is scheduled to meet with a psychiatric specialist tomorrow. They'll be able to make a better assessment as to her mental state and the bearing that may have on her cardiac symptoms, but as you said, the nature of her surgery and injuries do give cause for concern."

Lauren waited patiently for the nurse to finish reading the chart knowing that monitoring medications – the doses and timing of those doses – was a lot of technical math. Finally, the nurse looked up at the I.V.'s again before moving to Bo's bed and resetting the blood pressure cuff,

"As long as her BP is steady, I believe I'm going to give her another dose of the sedative. She refused her evening pain meds and the last sedative was given in the late afternoon. The rhythm irregularities may simply be that she's in pain. Since she's refusing the pain killer, but not the sedative, I can give the latter and hope that solves the problem."

"Is waiting until she's awake not an option, Captain?"

"Please, call me Amanda."

"Thank you. Amanda, I may be able to convince her to take the pain killer if you think it's safe to wait."

The Captain nodded, "We can. If she refuses it, I can have the sedative standing by. I can't imagine she'll be able to sleep through the pain she must be having from her injury and subsequent surgery. Honestly, I've never seen a soldier not accept painkillers after... well... let's face it... she had a hole blown in her abdomen. She's got to be in agony."

Lauren nodded, "Yes, well, she's had to learn to endure many varieties of pain during her career. She did not achieve the rank of General at such a young age by flying supply planes."

Finishing up, Amanda stopped and looked up at Lauren, her hands perched on her hips. Her eyes moved to Bo as she spoke,

"Well, the rumor mill is running rampant with stories about the heroics of General Ysabeau Dennis. Beautiful name."

"She prefers Bo." Lauren replied, wanting to say her beauty went way beyond her name.

"Or her call sign, I suppose?"

Lauren laughed, looking up at the nurse for a moment, "I suppose. She is a pilot through and through."

"So she is the heroic type." Amanda smiled.

Lauren nodded, "Others always come first whether it's her sister or a total stranger. It's in her blood to protect and defend."

"I'm sure you're very proud of her."

Lauren looked up in response to the reply, then back to Bo,

"Honestly, I'm not sure how any of us survived, but the General... she never doubted we'd make it. It was her determination, selflessness and leadership that got us here."

Amanda nodded, "I'm sorry for the lives you lost."

Taking a deep breath, Lauren wrapped her cardigan tighter and crossed her arms over her chest before she quietly replied, "I just pray we don't lose any more."

There was a commotion in the hallway that drew Amanda's attention,

"Sorry, Lauren. I have to go check to see what's going on out there."

"Of course. You're the Head Nurse. It's okay."

"I've paged the Chief and I will be back as soon as possible."

Lauren nodded as the door closed. She watched the blur of white coats hurry past the opaque glass wondering if they were rushing to an emergency for one of their own. Sighing, she returned to her seat next to Bo and began the wait. Looking at Bo now, she wondered why she was in such a hurry to leave her side earlier. Right now, there was no place she'd rather be. Of course, confusion was always a good reason to take a step back and look at things. Regardless, she wasn't going to leave until they'd had a chance to talk. Pulling her puzzle book back onto her lap, she settled in for what might be a long night.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Tamsin stood helplessly as the medical staff rushed in and out of the room. Tears streamed steadily down her face as her arms remained crossed over her chest. Kenzi clung to one arm while Hale clung to the other. They were helpless to do anything to help Manes. It was up to the doctors now.

"I wish they would come out and tell us something." She muttered.

"You've got to give them time, Tamsin." Kenzi replied.

Tamsin lowered her head, wiping her tears away, "I never realized how hard it was to be on the waiting end of things. Time moves so slowly."

Hale laughed, "Well, now you know how that boy felt every time he watched you leave the ground in one of his machines."

"What?" Tamsin asked.

"Girl, he was hot for you before you even knew he was alive. The whole time you were doing your pre-flight, he was like... 'Did I tighten this and did I replace that'... the boy was anal about his job, but with you it was over the top! Why do you think I was up for taking second seat in that big bird you were assigned. I knew he went over that plane ten times before he'd let you sit your ass in it."

Tamsin chuckled, "Really? I had no idea he was into me before... well... recently."

"He's been ragin' after you for years, girl!"

Kenzi laughed, "I see what you did there. Ragin'."

Hale nudged her, "You like that?"

"Yea, I did. Good one." Kenzi replied.

"Okay you two, stop now. The Chief is coming out." Tamsin turned to face the Chief Surgeon, while Kenzi and Hale flanked her, keeping a hold of her arms,

"Chief? He okay?" Tamsin asked.

"For now, yes. I'd like to introduce you to Colonel Blaine O'Donnell. He's been the surgeon working on Lieutenant Commander Manes' case."

"Please, he hates that title. He's actually Air Force. You can call him Manes... or Machine Man... or Wrench."

The doctor started, "But if he's Air Force, why is he..."

"This whole situation forced us to slide him over to the Navy to protect him. He'll hate it if he dies with a Navy rank." She replied, and then looked at Hale, "No offense."

"None taken, Rage." Hale replied.

"Colonel." Tamsin nodded.

"Colonel." The doctor replied with a nod.

"So, what can you tell us?" Tamsin asked.

"The burns... Wrench, you said?"

"Yes, Sir." Hale replied.

"Well, Wrench – as you know – has suffered third degree burns over most of his back and a good portion of his chest, one side of his neck and one of his legs. The ones on his chest and back are of greatest concern."

"Why?" Tamsin asked.

"Well, take a deep breath for me."

Tamsin did as she was told.

"Now, did you feel how your skin stretched to allow your ribs to expand beneath that breath?"

Tamsin took another breath and focused on his question before looking up and nodding.

"Okay, now imagine your skin can't stretch because it's badly burned."

"Oh, God. He can't breathe!" She realized.

"That's right, so we have him on a ventilator. The other problem is that all of that burned and charred skin is making his immune system go haywire. He's got fluid in his lungs among other things."

"So... he's not gonna make it." Tamsin said, looking into the room where the nurses were changing the bandages on his legs.

"I realize you don't know me, Colonel, but I've never surrendered in battle in my life and I don't expect to start now. So you just go take a load off and let me worry about Wrench in there. He's a fighter that one and if you're his girl, then I'm sure he's fighting to stick around."

Tamsin smiled and nodded, "Thank you, Colonel."

"You're welcome, Colonel. Get some sleep."

She turned and looked at Wrench, not sure if she was unable or unwilling to leave. All she knew right now was that sleep wasn't a priority.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Lauren had cast the puzzle book aside about ninety minutes ago when Bo began groaning, tossing and turning in her sleep. She was fighting the sedative and she was in pain. As much as she hated seeing her like this, she was hoping that when she awoke, she could talk some sense into her so she could get a more restful sleep.

She watched as Bo's head rolled in her direction and her eyes slowly opened,

"L-Lauren? Is... is that you?"

"Yes, Bo, it's me. Bo, I really think you need to take a pain pill so you can sleep."

Bo scowled, "No, no, no. They make me loopy. I don't like to lose control like that."

"Then the nurse will give you another sedative." The blonde replied flatly.

"No, I don't wanna sleep. I wanna talk to you." Bo whined.

Lauren sighed, "Wow. I've never met whiney Bo."

"Sucks, doesn't she."

"Just a bit. Do you want to sleep a bit more?"

"No. I want to talk. Uh...ahhh..." Bo groaned as she tried to move her legs, "What the fu... shit my gut feels like it has a massive hole in it."

Lauren raised her eyebrows and cocked her head, "It does, Bo. The grenade, remember?"

"Right. So, how am I doing?"

"Well, the doctor came in and switched your antibiotics because you spiked a fever and your heart rate was up."

"Is that bad? It's bad, isn't it. My heart – is my heart okay."

"They've run two EKG's at this point. There are some anomalies, but they believe it's either because of the fever or the removal of the shrapnel. They just need you calm and resting, so they want you to take the pain pill to prevent restlessness. If you won't, they want you to take the sedative so that you sleep."

"But I want to talk to you." Bo replied, clearly frustrated by the choices she was given.

Lauren just shook her head and waited for the brunette to get the message.

Bo sighed, "Not doing so good, am I?"

"No, Bo. You're not. Your fever is higher now than it was three hours ago, but hopefully the new antibiotic will deal with whatever infection may be brewing in there. You need to rest and if you don't want to sleep, then it's the pain pill, okay?"

Lauren waited, until finally, she heaved a sigh of relief when Bo nodded in agreement. She pressed the nurses' button and waited for Amanda to arrive. It only took a few minutes and the nurse came prepared,

"Pain pill in the right hand, sedative in the left. Which one are we going for?" She asked Bo.

"Right." Bo sighed.

"Good. I promise I won't let you get hooked, but you will feel a bit... off."

Bo nodded, "Just one."

"Only one in there." Amanda said as she handed the small pill cup to the General.

Lauren watched as she popped the pill into her mouth and then took the offered drink, pulling the bendable straw down to her lips and taking a few sips of water. She choked a bit and began to cough, but the nurse quickly placed a hand over her abdominal wound.

"Remember, Bo. When you cough, you must apply pressure to the wound. We can't have you popping the internal sutures."

"Right." Bo replied.

The nurse release the wound and moved the water to the tray table, then elevated Bo's head a bit,

"We're going to sit you up for a bit. Hit the button if you start to feel queasy or uncomfortable and I will come and adjust the bed for you. Remember, don't raise or lower yourself without help from me. We don't want you..."

"Using my abs. Popping my sutures. Right. Got it. Roger. Yes Ma'am." Bo replied, offering a mock salute to go with her frown. After a quiet moment, she looked up at the nurse, "Sorry. That was very immature. I just really hate being stuck in here."

Amanda nodded, "Most soldiers do. It's okay. I've dealt with much worse. At least you're funny."

Bo looked at Lauren, "Did you hear that? She thinks I'm funny. If you're not careful, she'll scoop me up while you're trying to decide what you want."

The General looked at the nurse, "Sorry. I didn't mean... I mean... sorry."

Amanda laughed, "Like I said... funny."

The nurse turned and left the room leaving Bo and Lauren in awkward silence.

"Lauren, I'm sorry. I..."

"Bo..."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that – especially not in front of the nurse. You take all the time you need, Lauren."

"Bo, I'm sorry for my silence earlier. I just want to be sure with us. We've both been through so much these past months and I want to be sure that what we're feeling isn't just manufactured out of the situation we've been tossed into."

"I don't think what I'm feeling is manufactured at all." Bo replied, "Whatever that even means."

Lauren nodded, "I'm not sure if you can, but can you please try to put yourself in my shoes for a moment? This world... the world of flying a plane at Mach 3 with someone shooting at you, jumping out of windows because someone is shooting at you, bombs, grenades and secret plans... the world of body bags and flag-draped coffins... this is your world, Bo and I'm sure you've learned how to compartmentalize all of that to some extent."

"Lauren..."

The brunette was responding to the tears in the doctor's eyes, "I'm sorry. I didn't think." She lowered her eyes, "Not everyone is meant to be a military wife... not that I am jumping to talk of marriage... but being the one who's at home waiting... well... I've been down this road before. It's why I shut my heart down and stayed single. I guess I got carried away thinking that because your Dad was military that you had experience with this, but I wasn't listening... not really. Your Dad wasn't a part of your life so of course you don't know what this is like."

Lauren sighed, deciding now was not the time to get into a conversation about her own history. The pain pill was bound to kick in soon and this conversation would go sideways quickly, so she said what she came to say,

"Bo, I opened my heart to you because the woman I was getting to know before we found out who my Father was... well... she was wonderful and I felt like I could stand shoulder to shoulder with her. I felt like I'd found my equal... my partner. But as things started to fall apart, I started to see you as my protector... as someone I needed to survive and... I felt... weak. I stopped using my mind and took a step back to let you lead. I don't want to be that woman, Bo. I want to be able to stand up beside you and not feel that you have to protect me or my honor. I need this, Bo. I'm sure it has to do with my Father and how inadequate he made me feel or maybe it has to do with the time I served... as a doctor."

She took a breath and looked at Bo, "I just need some time to make sure I'm not losing myself, Bo. I just need to slow things down a bit and make sure the feelings I'm feeling for you are real and not just because you're serving as my super hero."

"Are you mad that I protected you?"

"No, Bo, of course not. You were doing your job and you are very good at it. What I mean is that I'm grateful... so grateful. But I keep replaying that moment when I was too afraid to jump out of the window at the farmhouse. I delayed and you got shot. I don't want to be afraid, Bo. When you say jump, I want to trust you enough to jump with you and... I didn't trust you, Bo. What does that say about me? About us? I'm just asking for time to work on me once in a while. I'm not breaking up with you. I'm just asking for a little space to breathe when I'm..."

"I'm suffocating you?" Bo asked and the look of panic mixed with hurt and embarrassment was something Lauren had never seen before from the pilot.

"No, Bo. How could you possibly be suffocating me in your present condition? Well – our – present condition these past months haven't allowed us much personal time together, has it. Since we met, we've been under threat..." She looked down, her eyes closed as a grin spread across her face and she chuckled a bit, "... or at each others' throats over who should run a flight pre-check."

With a light toss of her head, her long blonde hair floated back from her face, her eyes resting on Bo's,

"I'm a scientist... a mathematician... remember?"

"Of course." Bo nodded.

"You can ask Martin if you'd like, but sometimes I just need silence and empty space around me to process whatever is going on in my life. It's just me, Bo... the way I am and the way I work through my feelings."

"You've got to analyze stuff."

Lauren smiled, "I guess, sometimes... yes. And I know that sometimes I overanalyze stuff and you might think that's what I'm doing with us, but it's just... it's who I am, Bo. I've tried to change... really, I have, but I just can't seem to..."

"Lauren... I don't expect you to change to suit me. I would never ask you to do that." Bo replied.

"But can you give me that space when I need it, Bo?"

Bo nodded, "If you need space for a time, you'll have it. I hope you know that I'd do anything to help you live the life you choose, Lauren. I want you to be happy and free to be who you are. I don't expect you to be something you're not. Just talk to me – honestly. I'm a little impulsive, so my reaction may not always be – well – favorable, but I'll figure out a way to deal with what you ask of me. I'd do anything for you, Lauren."

She offered Lauren a smile, though her eyes welled with tears. Lauren leaned down and kissed the brunette's forehead, swiping a tear from her own cheek as she forced a smile onto her face. She took a deep breath and patted Bo's hand,

"Well, I think you should rethink taking a grenade for me." She grinned.

Bo shrugged with a cocky grin, "Hey, if it's good enough for Bruno Mars, it's good enough for me. He can't fly jets."

Lauren laughed, "But the boy sure can sing."

"Yea, but you haven't heard me sing Frank."

"Frank?" Lauren asked.

"Sinatra, of course. What other Frank is there? Come here."

"Bo." This was it... loopy General was coming out as the pain pill kicked in.

"Geez, Lauren. I'm not asking you to marry me."

"Bo, you're barely awake."

"I don't need to be awake to sing to you."

Lauren noticed her speech was beginning to slur a bit. She'd never seen Bo under the influence so had no idea where this was going.

"You're going to sing to me?" Lauren laughed.

Bo grinned, her eyes fluttering shut, "Frank style."

She took Lauren's hand and pulled her gently to her bedside. The blonde shook her head, "Oh, Bo. You are so out of it."

"But I'm totally into you, baby." She smiled, her eyes closing as she began to sing, "Fly me to the moon, let me play among the stars. Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars."

Suddenly, Bo's eyes popped open and she turned her head to look directly at Lauren, her face beaming with excitement,

"Ohmagosh! Mars! Did you know they're trying to send a spaceship to Mars? Will you build me a plane so I can go?"

Lauren laughed, "Oh Bo. You are so high as a kite."

The brunette pouted and it melted Lauren's heart. She was adorable - stoned, but adorable.

"Of course, Bo. If you want a plane to go to Mars, you'll have one."

Bo grinned, her eyes closing as she leaned in towards the blonde, "You can't resist me. You're hot for a jet jockey, aren't you?"

Lauren could only laugh as Bo puckered her lips,

"How 'bout a little smooch?"

"Bo, you need to sleep."

"Right. Sorry, you don't want smooches. You want a little space... space like out in Mars! Jupiter and Mars! Right... I was singing Frank. I love Frank. Where was I? Oh yea..."

Lauren shook her head, laughing quietly to herself as she watched Bo croon out the rest of the song,

"In other words, hold my hand. In other words, baby, kiss me." Bo opened her eyes and looked at Lauren, "You don't have to. That's just the song lyrics."

"Okay." Lauren smiled, watching with tender, sympathetic eyes as the brunette's voice filled the space around and between them,

"Fill my heart with song and let me sing for ever more. You are all I long for all I worship and adore. In other words, please be true. In other words, I. Love. You."

She smiled at Lauren, "I do, ya know. No pressure or anything, but somewhere along the line I fell madly, deeply and hopelessly in love with you, Doctor Lauren Lewis."

"Yea?" Lauren asked, smiling.

"Yea." Bo said, taking a drunken breath, "I think it was the day that you insisted on doing that stupid pre-flight check in the simulator. I knew right then and there that you were a force to be reckoned with. No one ever said no to me before. They all just stepped aside and allowed the great pilot Bo "Stick" Dennis to do her thing. You were the first person to put me in my place. It was refreshing to have someone else take charge."

"Well, you sure did argue about it." Lauren laughed.

"I had to keep up appearances. There's this image that I have to portray. Do you know that my whole life I've been compared to the great Jack Dennis? He casts a long shadow, that man does. The first day in basic, do you know how many times I heard 'you've got big shoes to fill, Dennis'?"

"I don't know how many. Do you?"

"Dunno, but it was probably a lot. My head feels funny."

"That's the pain pill."

She looked up at Lauren, "You gave me a pain pill? You know I don't like those."

Lauren laughed, shaking her head, "You gave me permission, Bo."

"Did not."

"You did."

"Did not."

"You did."

"Di..." Lauren placed a gentle hand over the brunette's mouth, "Honest, Bo. You gave us permission because you didn't want the alternative."

"Us?"

Lauren sighed, "The Nurse was with me."

"That hottie that was giving you googly eyes?" Bo pouted, the green monster showing.

"She was not giving me googly eyes, Bo."

"Was too."

Lauren was not about to go back and forth with the drugged pilot, so she relented, "Well, regardless of what she was or was not doing, I'm not interested so it doesn't matter."

"It matters to me. That bitch hit on my woman and then gave me a pain pill to knock me out so that she could swoop in and take you away from me."

Lauren watched as the heart rate monitor soared. She placed a comforting hand on Bo's cheek,

"There will be no swooping by the Nurse, sweetie. She's not a pilot and even if she was, no one can swoop as well as the legendary Stick Dennis." Lauren said, kissing Bo on the cheek.

"I'm pretty good, huh."

"You're amazing." Lauren replied, "And I can't believe you're still awake."

Bo smiled proudly, "I got... what do they call it... tolerance!"

Lauren laughed as Bo continued,

"Still, I musta been outta my mind to say okay to a pain pill. Was I in a lotta pain, cause I ain't feelin' no pain anymore." She laughed.

"Well, that's a good thing."

"I guess." Bo replied, growing quiet for a long moment, "You know what, Lauren?"

"What Bo?"

"Can I tell you a secret?"

Lauren leaned in and nodded as Bo looked around the room, "Before I do, can you check the room for bugs?"

"You think the room is bugged, Bo?" Lauren asked.

"We're in a foreign country... maybe the Canadians are planning an invasion."

Lauren almost burst out laughing, "Bo, they're our neighbors. I highly doubt they are planning to go to war against us since they're usually on our side."

Bo scowled as she tried hard to concentrate, "I think maybe I misjudged them. They're good people."

Lauren smiled, "I think you're right."

"Can I tell you the secret now?" Bo asked.

"That wasn't the secret?"

"What?"

"The bug in the room?" Lauren replied.

"There's a bug in the room?" Bo's face was panic stricken again, "What kind? Spiders? I hate spiders."

"Relax, Bo. There are no bugs in the room. I checked. No American or Canadian bugs."

"Good. That's good." Bo said, laying her head back.

Lauren nodded and waited for Bo to speak.

"Can I tell you my secret now?" Bo asked.

Lauren smiled, watching Bo's eyes bob open and closed. She hoped it wouldn't be long until the pilot would finally sleep,

"You can tell me, Bo. I won't tell anyone."

"Cross your heart?" Bo asked.

Lauren crossed her heart and put up her hand, "Cross my heart and on my honor."

Bo paused for a moment, her eyebrows knit together before she whispered, "I don't want to be a General anymore."

Shock.

That's the best way to describe what Lauren was feeling at the comment. She sat for a long moment, unsure of how to respond. She was grateful when Bo filled the silence,

"I like to fly jets. I really, really like to fly jets. But I'm sick of being shot at and I don't want to do any solo missions anymore."

"But as a General, you don't have to fly solo missions, Bo." Lauren rationalized.

"But I won't get to fly anymore. When you're a Colonel you can fly. When you're a General, it's like there's this unwritten rule that you don't get to fly."

Lauren nodded, "But when you're a General, don't you get to make the decisions?"

Her eyes went wide, "I can do whatever I wanna do, huh?"

"Well, not anything you want, but you can probably do a lot of things that you might think you can't do." Lauren replied as she watched a tear slide down Bo's cheek, "Bo, what's wrong?"

"I couldn't stand down. I know that as a General, I was supposed to stand down and send them in. I couldn't do it. I can't send people to die and just stand there and watch. I don't think I'll be able to be a General."

"I guess our lives are not all that far apart after all." Lauren replied, realizing that each of them were going through experiences and changes neither of them had expected.

"Huh?" Bo asked, her eyes fluttering, but never fully opening.

"Nothing, Sweetie. Sleep. I'll be here when you wake up."

"Promise?"

Lauren nodded, "Unless I have to use the bathroom, eat or check on our team, I'll be here when you wake up or make sure someone else is."

Bo nodded, "I hope it's you."

Lauren smiled, "Do you want the nurse to put your bed back again?"

"Nah. It's harder to breathe when I lay back."

"You're having trouble breathing?" Lauren asked.

Bo nodded, "My lungs just feel a little heavy."

Lauren hit the nurses' button, "Sleep, Bo."

"Kay."

Amanda entered the room, "I asked if she wanted the bed reclined and she said that it made it harder for her to breathe. She said her lungs were feeling a little heavy."

"I'll page Chief." Amanda replied, leaving the room.

"Thank you." Lauren said

It was moments later that the Chief came into the room, "How long has she been having trouble?"

"I'm not sure. She hadn't mentioned it until I asked her if she wanted to lay back again." Lauren replied.

"General Dennis?" The Chief called out to his patient, "Stick, I need to have a listen to your lungs."

"Haus? Haus you okay?" Bo's eyes were wild as she looked around the room, seemingly looking through anyone who was actually present.

Lauren placed a hand on Bo's shoulder, "Bo? Bo. You're in the hospital. Open your eyes, Bo."

Bo opened her eyes slightly, "L-Lauren? Haus. He's burned."

"I know, Bo. But he's here in the hospital just like you are. They're taking care of him and Chief wants to take care of you. He's here, Bo. He wants to listen to your lungs."

She looked around until her eyes settled on the tall man, "It's hard to breathe."

The Chief nodded, pulling his stethoscope from his pocket and placing it over his neck, "So I hear. Let's sit you up so I can have a listen. Let us do the work."

"You work. I'll relax." Bo smiled.

"That's right, General."

"Don't call me that." She snapped, "I'm Bo."

"Okay, Bo, let's sit up. Try to keep breathing." He replied.

Turning to Lauren he handed her a rectangular pillow, "This is a compression..."

"...pillow. I know. Place it on the surgical site and apply constant pressure as the two of you sit her up. I've done it before."

"Great. On three..."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Tamsin and Kenzi stood when the doctor entered the waiting room. They held tight to each other as he spoke,

"He's stable again. The next forty-eight hours will be crucial, after that the next two weeks will tell us more about his recovery. He needs to sleep the rest of the night."

"Thank you, Doctor." Tamsin replied.

"Go get some sleep, Ladies. We'll take the next watch."

Kenzi and Tamsin nodded and watched the doctor walk away. They turned when they heard footsteps behind them.

"Kenzi, I need you to come with me." Lauren said.

"What's wrong?" She said, hurrying towards the blonde.

"Bo has pneumonia. They've put her on oxygen, but they're concerned. They have to keep her lying down, her immune system is already fighting an infection at her surgical site and she's have arrhythmias either due to her low oxygen saturation levels or the injury she sustained. The Chief would like to speak with you since you're the next of kin and have the medical power of attorney."

"Why do they need that?" Kenzi asked.

Lauren shook her head, "Don't panic. It's just advanced directives... just in case something should go wrong and you're elsewhere."

"You'll come with me? Explain things so I can understand?" Kenzi asked.

"Of course." Lauren replied.

Kenzi turned to Tamsin, "I'll be back as soon as I can."

Tamsin shook her head, "I'm coming with you. There's nothing I can do here now, but I can sit with you. Come on, let's go."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Doctor Gerard?" Lauren asked, placing a gentle hand on the man's shoulder as he hung over the desk at the Nurses' station marking charts.

"Yes." He turned, "Doctor Lewis. How are you? Is the General okay?"

Lauren looked over her shoulder through the window of Bo's room, "As far as I know, yes. After we spoke, I went to get her sister, Kenzi. You met her when Bo came in?"

"Ah yes, Kenzi, the Spitfire." He smiled, offering a hand to Kenzi who looked at Tamsin,

"Is this guy Canadian Intelligence? How does he know so much about all of us?"

The Doctor smiled, "Your sister is very proud of you, Kenzi. She told me all about how Spitfire took out a couple of bogey's on her way here."

"But how did Bo..."

"Guilty." Lauren said, her shoulders pulled up to her ears as she raised her hand, "She asked what happened while she was out. Actually, she asked for the specifics on how we ever made it to thirty-thousand feet without the full squadron she'd planned on."

"The younger Dennis was the hero this time, eh?" The Doctor asked.

Kenzi cocked her head, "Whatev." She waved them all off, "So, what's up with my big sister?"

"Pnemonia." He replied flipping Bo's chart under his arm and holding his hand out, inviting them to move towards her room.

"Lauren told me that much. What are the risks?" Kenzi asked as they arrived at the door.

He waited for the women to enter, then followed,

"Worst case scenario, the infection is in her heart and lungs. The chest X-ray they'll be taking will tell us for sure. If that's the case, then it's likely from the shrapnel wound. If it is just pneumonia, then we're already treating her as needed. We just have to wait it out and hope her immune system can handle the mini-war going on inside her body."

"You haven't seen my sister in a fire fight. She'll win. She always does." Kenzi replied.

"I like that confidence." He replied, turning to see the orderly coming to take Bo to X-ray.

"Well, if you ladies will step aside, our man Josh will wheel her down for a few pictures and have her back in a short while."

The orderly smiled at the group and moved to Bo's bedside, lowering the rail.

Looking up at the sizeable orderly, Kenzi warned, "Okay, but just remember that her left side is her best side. If she finds out you took pictures from her right, she'll hunt you down," she gave him a wink and a slap on the arm, gripping his bicep, "Whoa. Dude, that's impressive."

"Well, thank you, Ma'am," the young man laughed as he worked, wheeling Bo quickly and quietly out of the room. Kenzi shook her head,

"Sleeps like the dead that one. She'll probably still be asleep when they wheel her back."

The Doctor turned to face the women, shoving a hand into his pants pocket, "Make yourselves comfortable girls. It'll be a little while until she's back."

"Thank you, Doctor." Lauren said.

"You're welcome." He replied as he left the room.

Lauren stepped back from the pair opposite her, "I'm going to go make the rounds to the other soldiers while she's having her scans completed."

Kenzi put her hands on her hips, "You're coming back, right?"

Lauren nodded, "I promise, I'll be back. It just may be a while. I want to give you both some time alone with Bo and they did make it very clear that they only wanted two people in here at a time."

"Okay, but I just want to make sure you're gonna show again. I know you want your space and all, but..."

"Kenzi, Bo and I talked and we're good. I didn't break up with her and she understands what I'm asking... at least I hope she does. Just..."

"I know, I know... stay out of your personal life. Got it. No problem. Just don't mess with her head. I get the fallout when you do."

"Right." Lauren said, nodding as she left the room.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Having finished all of her visits, Lauren decided to take a walk. She loved the corridors of the hospital late at night. It reminded her of when she was just an intern on her rotation in critical coronary care. She would go for long walks when most of her patients were asleep, enjoying the relaxed feel of the low lighting and the silence. The silence was something she yearned for back then. Someone was always talking, whether it was doctors, nurses or her classmates. There were always questions to answer, drama to gossip about and classmates begging to be her study partner. As a rule, she studied alone, since partners and groups usually slowed her progress.

The other thing that bogged down her medical school years were her friends – if you could call them that - Paula and Brandy. They were the two women in her class who branded themselves her best friends and would grill her incessantly about who she was interested in dating. When they all landed at the same hospital for their first year as Interns, the two women really started to press for Lauren to date Sam from the research lab and then Brad from orthopedics.

She'd finally had enough when they set her up on a blind date with Cooper, insisting she needed to loosen up and get laid. When she excused herself to the bathroom midway through dinner, they followed. She tried to be polite, she really did, but years of frustration won out. Both women stood, stunned into silence when she all but shouted at the top of her lungs that she preferred women. She fled the restaurant and spent the rest of the weekend alone in her small apartment, curled up on the couch watching a Star Trek Marathon with nothing but Ramen Noodles and popcorn to keep her company.

On Monday, she went into the hospital more than an hour early to avoid the rest of the group. She stuck to her studies and focused on the Doctors and Nurses who were teaching her what she would need to know to save lives. She focused on her future rather than the deafening silence that surrounded her when her classmates were near. She focused on the silence beneath the whispers about her 'dirty little secret'.

Ironically, it was Cooper who finally let Paula and Brandy have it one day in the hospital cafeteria. Lauren was sitting alone by the windows eating her salad and reading a medical journal when voices erupted near the exit. Everyone turned and looked at the disruption as Cooper laid into the two women about their horrid habit of drumming up gossip and drama in a place where patient care and professionalism should be the focus.

Lauren cringed, at Coopers final words before his angry exit,

" _...and who Lauren Lewis chooses to love is none of your business! Doctors are supposed to act without judgment or prejudice and your problem with her sexuality clearly violates any oath we're supposed to take when we graduate!"_

Of course, instead of all eyes watching Cooper's angry exit or the embarrassed women, they turned their focus to her in that moment. She tried to gracefully return to her salad, her head down as her fork stabbed ferociously at the lettuce on her plate, but then something strange happened. One of the doctors stood up and slowly began to applaud Cooper's speech. Another stood, and then another and then another until the Chief of Staff stood and told everyone the show was over.

When silence once again consumed the cafeteria, Lauren chanced a peek in the direction of the exit and found the Chief in deep conversation with Paula and Brandy. She immediately went online to look up the hospitals' discrimination policy, worried she could be kicked out of the program for her sexuality. When she saw the sexual preference was protected, she slowly rose to throw away her trash and make as speedy an exit as possible. Her appetite was gone and so was any sense of dignity she had hoped to retain.

She returned to work after lunch noting the change in behavior of many of the interns. Whether they tried to make conversation or continue in silence, the only way Lauren could describe those interactions was awkward. But still, she found comfort in the work with the doctors and nurses. She guessed it wasn't the first time they'd dealt with an intern being outed. As adults, they probably just chalked it up to age and experience because they didn't seem to care one way or the other as long as she was doing the work and doing it well.

Lauren was pulled from the thoughts of her past by voices shouting. She looked up to see a team of nurses and doctors rushing towards her, pushing code and drug carts. Quickly stepping back against the wall so they could pass, she was quite surprised when they turned into the room directly across from where she was standing.

Lauren hesitated at the door of the room where an elderly woman had gone into cardiac arrest. She watched the familiar procedures the group performed in perfect sync. Their communication and techniques were spot on and in less than a minute, the woman was back in normal sinus rhythm.

She smiled as she continued past the relieved family, holding on to each other with smiles on their tear-stained cheeks. If Lauren were being honest, she missed the constant challenge of working in a hospital. Maybe if she'd stuck to a place like this, she would still be a medical doctor. If she'd never gone to work in a war zone, she never would have learned about the number of pilots that were being downed by simple mechanical failures. Of course, sand and heat aren't exactly easy on flying machines made of steel and rotors. She'd learned that pretty quickly during her first internship with a helicopter manufacturer while working on her doctorate in aerospace engineering.

She entered the small lobby at the end of the ward and moved to the window. There was a full moon out tonight and the sky was absolutely filled with stars. She'd always loved the Canadian sky when she lived here for a few years. Now, she came to visit on business trips any chance she got. Being this far north had its benefits when it came to star gazing.

She thought back to her transition from medicine to engineering. She didn't allow her mind to dwell on details, but she remembered the loss of one particular patient – a pilot much like Bo – her death had been the proverbial straw on her medical career. In the moment she'd lost the young woman, a bigger picture had become clear as day to her. If she truly wanted to save lives she needed to keep the planes in the air long enough for pilots to make safe landings. She'd resigned her commission at the end of her tour of duty and headed back to school stateside. Of course, her Mom wasn't happy. Despite her Father being largely absent from her Mom's life, the woman still retained this need to please him by pushing Lauren towards the military. Somehow, Lauren picked up at bit of that influence.

She shook her head and folded her arms across her chest as she whispered into the night sky, "Not anymore, you bastard."

"Dr. Lewis? Are you lost?"

Lauren's head spun quickly towards the voice. When she saw the familiar Nurse, she smiled politely, "I thought we were on a first name basis, Amanda. I'm fine, just stretching my legs."

"Sorry. The military in me sometimes has trouble shutting off. Hungry? I was just going for a bite."

Lauren chuckled, "Actually, now that you mention it, I couldn't tell you when the last time was that I ate. I guess a bite would be a good idea."

"Well, I'd be happy for some company. The graveyard shift is light on staff, and therefore also light on dinner companions. It will be a nice change to not have to stare at the walls. You're much more pleasant to look at."

Lauren blushed as the nurse gave her a wink,

"Come on, Lauren."

Stepping around the custodian mopping the floors, she fell in line behind Amanda, her eyes traveling from the twisted bun at the back of her head, down to the skin of her slender neck to the lean waist...

She heard the laugh before she heard the voice, "Are you just going to gawk at my ass or are you getting in the elevator?"

Lauren's eyes snapped up to meet Amanda's, embarrassment causing her blood to run hot up her neck and into her cheeks as she fumbled for words. The nurse just stood there laughing at her from inside the elevator,

"It's okay, Lauren. You're a red-blooded American woman and I'm flattered. But seriously, come on. I'm starving."

The blonde stepped into the elevator, immediately pinning herself into the opposite corner, gripping the rails with both hands and forcing her eyes to the numbers overhead. When the ride stopped, she quickly stepped out in front of Amanda and headed immediately to the salad bar.

The nurse cozied up next to her, "It really is okay. It's nice to know that I don't have to be a General to get your attention. She'd be hard to compete with otherwise."

Lauren kept her eyes down, her heart twisting at the recent memory of the last time she felt embarrassed while hovering over lettuce. Maybe she needed a burger?

She looked up to see there was no line at the grill and headed over, her eyes fixed on the bright lights overhead,

"What can I get for you?"

Lauren moved her eyes from the colorful LED menu to the kind eyes of the woman working the counter,

"Hi. I'm wondering if you have any meat? I suddenly have a craving for protein." Lauren smiled.

"Sure thing. Tonight we have hot roast beef sandwiches, roast turkey and homemade chicken potpies. It's a cold one out there, so the comfort food is a big seller today. Mrs. Opperman's potpies are a favorite around here."

Lauren smiled, "Mrs. Opperman?"

"Sorry, dear. You must be a first timer. Mrs. Opperman is a volunteer here in the cafeteria. She's eighty-eight this year and still going strong in the kitchen. Her husband was General Ronald Opperman, from the states. This hospital saved his life after his plane was shot down during one of those wars from the olden days. Anyway, they donated their fortune to this place and Mrs. Opperman comes here to make meals for the soldiers and their families that visit."

Lauren smiled, "That is amazing."

"Indeed it is. So, I take it you're here visiting a soldier?"

Lauren nodded, "A... my platoon." Lauren scowled, remembering that she escaped largely unscathed thanks to the efforts of the others.

"You were brought here from Iraq then?"

Lauren shook her head and took a moment, not wanting to give up too much information, "I'm sorry. Our mission was..."

"Top secret? A matter of national security?" The woman chuckled, as Lauren stood squirming at the counter, "It's okay dear. I've heard all of those speeches before. My son was a Marine... well, I guess you would have called him the Canadian equivalent of your American Marines... so yes, I know the drill. The 'We're sorry Ma'am, but your son was killed on the wrong side of some line in the ground despite the fact that we are all human and all live on this planet God has so graciously given us' speech is known to many around these parts." The woman shook her head, "Why men choose to divide humans - much less kill each other - over some dirt line drawn by human hands, is something I will never understand. Senseless. Senseless deaths and senseless wars."

Her voice faded off as she spoke, her eyes becoming vacant and distant as she buried herself in some dark memory from long ago. Lauren knew the look. She'd seen it in her own eyes in the mirror. There had been many mornings after she'd left the service that the chore of brushing her teeth and putting on make-up proved to be tasks too menial to prevent history from re-surfacing. Eventually, she'd find her way to present-day life only to see her soulless reflection in the glass and the eyeliner that she had trailed down her cheek while absent from reality.

Pulling herself back to the present, she watched and waited as the woman absentmindedly polished the counter in the same spot over and over again. Finally, she reached down and placed her hand over wrinkled skin,

"I'm sorry for your loss." She spoke as sincerely as possible, her eyes reflecting her understanding.

"Yea, heard that line before as well. Many times, matter of fact."

Lauren nodded, giving her a sad smile, "I suppose you have, but I'm still sorry. I know war and I know loss. It's hard to reconcile one with the other. We're forced to live with both against our will."

The woman placed her free hand on top of Lauren's, "There is much truth in that." She gave a great sigh before standing upright and releasing the blonde's hand so she could stand as well, "So, what'll it be?"

"Well, how could I not try Mrs. Opperman's potpie? Surely your experienced palate would not lead me astray and comfort food is just what I need tonight."

"Pot pie it is, then. Can I get you anything to drink? We have tea, coffee, hot chocolate and a full round of cold beverages."

"Actually, I haven't had a decent cup of coffee in days." Lauren smiled.

"My coffee is perfection in a cup, if I do say so myself." She whispered, "I just drained the last pot, so give it a few minutes and the fresh pot will be ready to go."

Lauren moved with the woman to the cash register, watching the numbers on the LED readout as she rang up her order,

"The salad bar comes with your meal, so help yourself while I get your pie and coffee ready."

"Thank you." Lauren said, handing her cash for her meal and waiting for change.

"I hope you find your people in good health." She smiled.

The blonde nodded in reply, "Thank you."

"Thank you, young lady. I don't often speak my mind like that, let alone to an American. It felt good."

"You knew I was an American? I can hardly tell the difference between our accents."

The older woman laughed, "My guess is you were raised far enough south or west to make just enough difference to my ear."

Lauren laughed along with the woman, "I suppose so."

"I'm happy my country could help you and yours."

Lauren nodded, "Well, as I said, I can't tell you much about why I'm here, but I will tell you that the gift basket I send to my Canadian friends who helped our platoon out of a very bad situation will be ten times as big this year and every year hereafter."

"Hmmm... I guess I can tell my sister Francine that she needs to send me a bigger present this year as well."

"Why's that?"

"She's American, I'm Canadian!"

Lauren laughed, "I get it. Very funny."

"I'll take a bigger gift from big sis any way I can get it." The woman chuckled.

"So is your sister a half sister or did she move..."

"Oh, she off and married an American man from this very military base when she was just nineteen. He had just ended his tour of duty and decided he was going to make it big in the stock market. They ran off to Florida together on his promise that she would live her dream life in the land of sand and sun... and Disney princesses."

"And? Did they?" Lauren asked, now curious about this rebellious teen.

The woman laughed, "They just celebrated their sixty-first wedding anniversary. She actually forced the mortician to bury our mother literally biting her tongue! My sister was a wild one. Mother didn't think they'd last even a decade. Had some powerful strong words for Francine as she was packing to leave - yelled at her even as she was running out the door. I guess big sis sure showed her."

"Wow. That's quite the story." Lauren replied, "Sixty-one years. It's hard to fathom being married to someone for that long."

"They're still like two teenagers. Makes me wanna gag seeing them holding hands and fussing over each other like they do. I put up with it every Christmas."

"Ah, come on now. You sound like the Grinch. I think it's wonderful. They're still in love after all of these years." Lauren smiled.

"She failed to mention that she and her husband Albert are just as bad."

Lauren's head spun to a woman walking up to the counter beside her as the worker shouted,

"And speak of the devil! Francine! Sister, what are you doing here?"

The woman moved quickly around the counter to embrace the newcomer, apparently named Francine. There was something about the expression on the woman's face that gave Lauren a moment of concern, but the emotion left her face when she caught sight of Lauren.

"Madeline, I cannot believe you're still telling strangers that old story." The elder sister looked up at Lauren, "I suppose she told you how I run off as a child?"

Lauren smiled, staring back and forth between the two women.

"Didn't even tell you her name, did she. Well, this is Madeline and you are?"

"Uh... Lauren." she replied as she shook the offered hand.

"I'm Francine. You might as well know my name since she clearly told you my life's history."

Lauren smiled, "She did... well, not all of it, I suppose. Gutsy move on your part... running off with the man of your dreams. I'm happy that it paid off for you."

Francine smiled, "Child, there was never a doubt in my mind. One look at Gregory and I was a goner. Sixty years of happiness, three wonderful children, eight grand children and four great grand children. I've truly been blessed."

Lauren grinned watching the two women embrace again before Madeline pulled back and looked at her sister, taking her hands,

"It's so good to see you, Francine. Twice a year is never enough. Why didn't you call me? I would have picked you up at the airport. Where's Gregory?" Madeline replied, surveying the cafeteria for any sign of her brother-in-law.

"Gregory was taken – quite literally – from our home. I insisted on coming and when he refused to leave without me, the young MP's agreed, deciding it was better to follow orders and have an extra passenger to deal with than not bring Gregory."

"MP's? Why are the military police picking up Gregory? He's been retired for decades!"

"I don't know. Something about random selection for a jury of someone's peers."

"So how did you get here and where is Gregory?" Madeline asked.

Francine shook her head, "I don't know where he is. Canadian military officers boarded the plane and took him. They said he was being sequestered. We came in on a military transport. All they would tell me is that Gregory got called in to serve on some military tribunal. Something about his dual citizenship status and the fact that any former members of the military can be recalled to active duty at any age."

"He's eighty-three, for goodness sake!" Madeline exclaimed.

"I know and from the looks of the other men on that transport, they're all about the same age. They're pulling eighteen former officers into temporary active duty. I overheard one of the MP's say that it sounded to him like some of the big wigs weren't playing so nice with their own. I have no idea what that means or how he's involved! I'm scared, Madeline."

The two shared another embrace, allowing Madeline to peer over her sister's shoulder to see the look on Lauren's face. The blonde stood, mouth in hand, her eyes wide as saucers. The woman released her sister and stepped to Lauren, speaking in hushed tones,

"You'd best cover that expression on your face, young lady. With the whispers I've heard around this hospital since a bunch of American planes landed here, it'd be best you learn very quickly how to play poker, if you get my drift. Those planes were carrying wounded... horribly wounded soldiers. I'm not asking you to confirm or deny, but I'm guessing that's your platoon."

Francine looked at Lauren, "You know why my husband is here."

Madeline scolded, "Don't go getting this girl into trouble she can't get herself out of except to leave this green earth. She can't talk and you know it, Francine." She looked at Lauren, "But you do know what's going on and why so many American planes and soldiers are suddenly showing up on our military base?"

Lauren straightened her face before giving a single, subtle nod.

Francine looked at her sister, and then back to Lauren, "They took my husband off the plane. He had no chance to talk to me. Hell, he doesn't even have his medications with him. They told me he was told to come alone – that no accommodations were made for me. Two Captains told me to take a cab to the nearest airport and go back to Florida where I came from. They handed me a fifty dollar bill. I didn't know what to say, so I lied and told them I'd planned a visit to see my sister. I gave them the fifty and told them I was meeting my sister and that I could afford my own damn cab."

"Did they say anything else?" Lauren asked.

Francine shook her head, "No, but they watched and made sure I got into the cab." She turned to Madeline, "I went to your house, but Albert said you were volunteering here tonight." She smiled, "I see you're still holding up Mrs. Opperman's traditions."

"No sense in them paying counter help when they can get us old military broads to do it for free. Besides, if I were home, I'd be forced to watch old Star Trek reruns while trying to finish knitting the damned scarf I promised your granddaughter I'd make her."

"Need I remind you she's also your great niece?" Francine asked.

Madeline smiled, "And I love her dearly. I just wish my eyes could focus on my work for more than an hour at a time."

"I know the feeling, sister." Francine replied, "I've been working on a sweater for our nephew Joey for three months and I'm barely to the chest. If I wasn't so happy about being alive, I'd complain about getting old every day. Speaking of old, what's wrong with Albert?"

"What do you mean?" Madeline asked.

"He seemed a bit... off."

Madeline nodded, "He tweaked his back again. I told him to get the neighbor to chop the firewood, but the man is stubborn as you."

Lauren interjected, "I'll leave you two to chat."

"Oh, my! Your potpie!" Madeline said, moving quickly around the counter and to the oven, "Ahhh... perfect! Francine, you are my good luck charm! I thought this would be burned beyond recognition."

Lauren stood at the counter, deciding she'd might as well eat the potpie while it was hot and have some salad afterwards if she was still hungry.

Francine slid over to stand beside the blonde, "So, is my husband in any sort of trouble?"

"Francine, I told you..."

"No, Madeline, I can answer this." Lauren turned back to the elder sister, "If your husband is here for the reason I believe he's here, he is not in trouble. Rather, he is here to do a great deed for the entire continent of North America and the rest of the world."

"Sounds big." Francine replied.

"It is. Now, if you'll please excuse me. I am quite hungry." Lauren smiled.

"Of course." Madeline replied as Lauren turned to walk away. She stood watching the blonde for about four steps before she called out, "Lauren?"

The blonde turned, her eyes asking the obvious question,

"The men that came in on the American planes... they were in really bad shape from what I understand and... well... what we talked about earlier... I really do hope they make it and... if not... I'm sorry for your loss."

Lauren offered a tight smile and a nod of her head, "It really is all you can do."

Madeline nodded, the silent message of surrender conveyed clearly between the two women before Lauren turned and walked to the table where Amanda was waiting.

Francine turned to Madeline, "What was that all about?"

"Kindred spirits, sister. Kindred spirits." She smiled, "Now, let's get you something to eat since you'll obviously be staying for a while. I'll get started on my contacts in the morning and find out what I can about Gregory."

"I had to marry a military man." Francine sighed.

Madeline nodded, her eyes moving to where Lauren was now seated, her head down, eyes focused on the meal as she took her first bite,

"You're preaching to the choir sister."

Lauren was thankful for the silence Amanda afforded her when she sat down to eat. Of course, the officer was already digging into the large plate of salad she'd built. As she took the first bite of her potpie, Lauren closed her eyes and moaned,

Amanda nodded, "Yea, Mrs. Opperman's potpies are famous for their comparison to sex."

Lauren coughed once, then twice before downing a huge gulp of water, "To what?"

Amanda laughed, "Given the choice of an Opperman special or sex, most people say they'd take the Opperman potpie."

Lauren blushed, "You've got a point." She took another bite, "This is amazing. She should freeze these and sell them globally. They'd make enough money to fund the entirety of the Canadian military budget."

Amanda smiled, "I don't doubt it but Mrs. Opperman is a particular kind of woman who does everything via volunteerism or charitable contribution. I doubt she'd want her name on a product."

Lauren didn't care about anything Amanda was saying at that point. She just kept her head down and continued to shovel in mouthful after mouthful. She'd never tasted anything quite so delicious. She knew a potpie was not a health food, but as comfort foods went, this was giving her enough comfort to help her sleep for days.

Amanda continued on, talking about Mrs. Opperman's charitable works while Lauren sighed, taking in the sight of the empty tables around her. She wished she could muster a different personality in that moment. One that would be incredibly proud of being rude enough to up and walk away from the table to sit by herself, but she just didn't have it in her.

She inhaled a deep breath and accepted that her once quiet evening would likely continue to grow more awkward. History certainly did have a way of repeating itself... of course, if Francine's husband really was taken from his home in the middle of the night for the trial involving all of their suspects, maybe history was about to be changed. Maybe – just maybe – Bo and Kenzi would finally be able to bring the truth about their Father's death to light... and maybe Bo's need to fly jets on the fine line between the living and the dead would be quelled. Maybe she would join the land of the living.

Lauren dropped her fork, thinking of what she'd just said. Her mind went into overdrive as it did when she had found a solution to a design flaw on a new plane. Days and nights with Bo flashed through her mind, the realization of what had been bothering her about their relationship pushing through to her conscious mind. Everything they had been doing since they'd met was about her Father... his desire to fly, his desire for Bo to fly, his desire to continue flying combat missions when he was abruptly yanked into the world of test pilots, his refusal to fly the very plane she'd asked Bo to fly, the Generals trying to take down Bo's plane the same way they'd taken down her Father... every free time conversation they'd had since meeting eventually spun its way back around to a jet, a mission, their parents, their past or the damn conspiracy they'd been battling.

She sighed, picking up her fork. She poked at the potpie before taking another bite, before giving a quiet hum of delight in response to the swirl of flavors dancing on her tongue. She wondered if, before she left, she could track down this Mrs. Opperman for the recipe. It was probably top secret, but Lauren wasn't above begging if it meant she could have this meal at her disposal on bad days back home... days when history reared its ugly head.

She longed for the day when they would be away from here – away from the history that... well... was pulling them apart, in Lauren's estimation. Away from here, they could start anew. Lauren would ask Bo out on their first date and then invite her back to the house for a real dinner. Not one made from canned vegetables and the fish Evony caught in the stream behind the farmhouse or from the deer she shot in the forest.

Yes, she decided, they would end the evening with Mrs. Opperman's potpie since Bo can't have it with her here. It would be the only piece of history Lauren would permit to invade their first date day. Maybe over dinner, they'd talk about the movie they saw earlier in the day or the art museum they'd visited. Maybe they would laugh over something funny that happened – something very funny yet ordinary. Maybe they'd make a plan for a vacation that they could take to... well... any destination they wouldn't have to fly to reach. Maybe...

"Lauren!"

Her fork flew out of her hand as her arm was abruptly hit by...

"Amanda! What the hell?" She asked, looking up at the Nurse who was standing at their table.

"What the hell? You're asking me what the hell? I've said your name three times and nudged you twice! It's Bo. Come, on! We've got to get upstairs."

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know. I just got a 9-1-1 page to her room."

Lauren turned to walk away, but Madeline waved her off, "I've got it, Lauren. You go. Tend to your wounded."

"Thank you, Madeline. I'll..."

"You'll be back, I'm sure. Those folks of yours won't mend overnight."

Giving a nod, Lauren turned and quickly chased after Amanda who was almost to the elevator. She rolled her eyes when the woman stood, impatiently, one hand planted on her hip, her finger hitting the button for their destination as she called to her again,

"Hurry, Lauren."

Boarding the elevator, Lauren moved her eyes immediately to the illuminated overhead numbers and counted along while Amanda complained,

"Geez. You'd think I was the one that was in love with Bo. Funny that you don't seem in much of a hurry to get to her when she could be dying."

In that moment, something in Lauren snapped. She leaned over and hit the emergency stop button before poking the woman hard in the middle of her chest,

"Just SHUT UP! You know NOTHING of what Bo and I have been through together and you know NOTHING about me! Because of those two things, you wouldn't have a CLUE as to why I didn't hear you when you called my name and as for your need to get to Bo's bedside posthaste? THAT would be your ego talking since you know DAMN well you are just going to stand there and write shit down. The Chief is already there as is the Nurse who paged you and the Chief Resident or whatever the position is called in Canada. I don't know what game you're playing with me, Bo or with me and Bo, but it stops NOW or I will have you pulled from this case and all of the other American cases in this facility faster than you can say your own fucking name. And don't you even for an INSTANT think that I don't have the power to do it because my influence goes to the very TOP of the Canadian Military! ARE WE FUCKING CLEAR?"

"Yes." Amanda said, her hand going to where Lauren had been poking her repeatedly as she unloaded.

"Good." Lauren replied, exhaling while releasing the emergency stop button, "Now stay out of my way."

Amanda stood there in shocked silence while Lauren stepped up to stand before the door. As soon as it opened, she sprinted to Bo's room to find it empty. Panic arose in her chest as she ran to the Nurses' station where a Staff Sergeant pointed towards the surgical wing.

"Emergency cardiac surgery. Apparently there was still a piece of shrapnel left in her heart. They had to..."

Lauren waved him off, sprinting down the maze of hallways to the next elevator where she headed down to the surgical floor. Coming off the elevator, she dodged a gurney, then a doctor and a nurse chatting over a case before she came to the surgical theatre. She tried the door, but as she expected, it didn't open. She needed a staff I.D.

She looked up and down the hallway until she finally saw a young man, carrying a clipboard.

"Excuse me? Are you an Intern here?"

He smiled proudly, "I am. Can I help you?"

"My name is Dr. Lauren Lewis. I was just down in the cafeteria getting some dinner when my... patient... apparently coded. The head Nurse I was with..."

"Is right behind you. I've got this Dr. Simone."

Lauren turned to see Amanda swiping her I.D. and opening the door to the viewing area. She waved her hand towards the entrance and waited for Lauren to enter. The blonde hesitated for a moment before walking in. She exhaled a long breath when she realized the room was empty. She stood at the glass and took her first look at the table below. It took her a moment to get her bearings, but once she did, her mind moved on autopilot,

"They have her on life support. They're bringing in a bypass machine. Shit. She must have coded and they couldn't resuscitate her, so they're going to, what – try to remove the shrapnel? But why? Protocol says treat the symptoms in shrapnel injuries to the heart. Her brain..." She looked up at the monitors, "How long was she without oxygen?"

"Lauren, we both know there's nothing we can do from here. Please, just sit."

She slowly lowered herself into the front row seat behind her, leaning forward so that her nose almost touched the glass. Her eyes zeroed in on the rib spreaders on the surgical tray,

"They're going to open her up." She looked up at the Chief as he entered the room, fully draped and masked. He stood, looking up at the monitors while the surgical team moved quickly around him. The anesthesiologist turned to check the monitors, dictating the numbers to the surgical nurse.

"I thought the shrapnel was in the peri... pericardium. He's using bypass... why bypass..." Lauren spoke quietly, her words coming with effort as her throat constricted at the sight, "I thought..."

Amanda cleared her throat, coming to sit beside the blonde, "I stopped at the Nurses' station to check the chart and talk to the other Nurses. The scan they did earlier showed a small splinter of shrapnel embedded beneath the piece they'd found when she was brought in. As you know, the original piece was sticking out, so they could remove it. The new piece was not present on previous scans, which means it's either a shard left behind when the original was removed or a new piece that has moved into its current position hanging just inside the left ventricle. Being the most powerful chamber, the splinter could be pulled into the heart at any moment causing more serious problems."

"She could die any minute." Lauren whispered.

"Kenzi and Tamsin were with her when she coded. They immediately did new scans. That's when they found the new splinter. They got her back, but lost her twice more and opted for life support until they could get this surgical room set up."

"Kenzi and Tamsin?" Lauren asked, looking at the Nurse for the first time since the elevator incident.

"They're in the waiting room. I told them I would update them throughout the procedure."

"Kenzi." She whispered, "She'll be so worried."

"Tamsin is with her, Lauren. The Nurse said she appeared calm."

"The Nurse means Kenzi was quiet. People think quiet is calm. Quiet is not Kenzi's calm."

"Nor is it yours. What's on your mind, Lauren?" Amanda asked.

"Why would they open her heart? Why remove the shard? In ninety-nine percent of these cases, the rule of thumb is to let the shrapnel work its way out. They're working from assumptions."

"The assumption that the splinter somehow worked its way in, so..."

Lauren shook her head, needing to work this through on her own for a moment, but Amanda was now curious. When Lauren began whispering out various scenarios, the nurse reached up and hit the intercom button so that the Chief could hear what the former surgeon was saying.

"Do you want to speak with the Chief before he starts, Lauren?" Amanda asked, placing a finger over her lips as she made eye contact with the surgeon.

"No. No, that's not necessary. I just..." She looked up at the X-ray hanging on the light board, "The location of the sliver..." She pointed at the area with the red circle around it, "We saw the abdominal wound, but we couldn't roll her over. We didn't know the extent of the burns, so we didn't want to touch her back. We never thought to question the explosions."

She looked up at Amanda as if she'd solved the mystery Stonehenge, "There were two explosions."

"What?" Amanda asked.

"Obviously, she was facing the bigger one, but the smaller of the two left burns on her back with some minor cuts. What if we were wrong and the cardiac shrapnel came from the explosion at the rear?"

She turned back to gaze at the X-ray again, "We assumed that there was one explosion because of the massive amount of damage to her abdomen. If the heat flared up beneath her flack jacket, and surrounded her torso, that would have explained the burns on her back... which is, indeed, what we assumed happened."

She looked at Amanda, "But if there were a second explosion from behind... one more distant that she was thrown into by the first explosion, then it would explain..."

She stood, walking to the left side of the amphitheater so she was closer to the X-rays below. She surveyed all of the images while Amanda and the Chief exchanged a glance.

"The lower left image... it's healed a bit now, but continued irritation from being on her back may have been pressing the shrapnel inward. Sure, the first piece may have come from the anterior blast to the abdomen, but this one... this problematic little splinter has a posterior entry point. See the long white entryway... a direct path to the splinter."

Her eyes spun quickly to the operating room when she heard the Chief's voice,

"Turn the patient on her side, quickly."

Lauren turned back to Amanda who shrunk a bit in her seat, "I know you said to stay away, but... all I did was hit the intercom button... I thought it important the Chief heard your thoughts."

"And it's a good thing I did." Came the Chief's voice into the amphitheater.

Lauren turned to see the Chief staring up at her. He gave her a quick wink before he turned back to the surgical team,

"Open her gown at the back and get me an image of the cut just under the left axilla along the posterior axillary line."

Lauren spoke directly to the Chief, "You suspect..."

"I suspect you're correct, Doctor Lewis. Think about her vital signs. We've also been assuming they were caused by her body having to deal with her abdominal trauma, the previous shrapnel removal and a touch of PTSD."

"PTSD? You didn't tell me about that."

"She asked me not to." The Chief replied.

Lauren nodded, "Okay. So..."

"So... shortness of breath every time we've tried to get her up, chest pain she describes as deep in her chest and she's more comfortable reclining than sitting up. All of the pathology is normal, but her heart rate has consistently been rapid and thready with occasional PVC's. Combine all of those – which could be considered normal for what she's been through – with the airy systolic murmur..."

Amanda interjected, "Which has been at its worst when Bo is at rest and not when she's moving..."

"It was this small piece slowly moving closer and closer to the left ventricle." Lauren concluded.

The Chief nodded, "In the recent scan, the object appeared to move with each beat of the heart, so I wasn't willing to wait until it was suddenly sucked into the ventricle to be sent God knows where. I assumed it entered through the anterior muscle wall and through the lung, leaving no way to retrieve it through its original pathway..."

"Agreed, but..." Lauren started, just as the scan came into the Doctor's view. She paused for a moment, anxious to know what he was seeing. He pointed at something on the screen as he spoke quietly to the other surgeon. The pair nodded in agreement before the Chief looked back up at Lauren,

"Congratulations, Doctor Lewis. I think a robotic tool can pull the shard out through the somewhat healed original entrance pathway, avoiding the need to open the heart. We'll have to break through the newly formed tissue, but..."

Lauren nodded rapidly as she replied, "It's a much safer surgical option and a nuisance for the patient compared to recovering from open chest, open heart bypass surgery."

Her smile stretched across her face as she clapped her hands and brought them both to her mouth as if in prayer. She turned to Amanda and launched herself into her arms where the Nurse, stood shocked for a moment before she awkwardly patted the doctor on her back. Lauren stepped back,

"I'm so sorry for being such a bitch in the elevator."

"Intercom is still on." Came the Chief's voice from below.

Lauren curled up in embarrassment, crossing her arms over her chest, "Sorry."

"No worries... well, no worries for those of you up in the peanut gallery, anyway. We've got to work quickly to get this little tiny assassin out of our General before it decides to wage a war of its own. Let's move, people."

Lauren watched, as the team seemed to find a higher gear, everyone working just a bit faster to change the room from an open-heart surgery to a robotic surgery. She watched as devices she had never had the opportunity to work with were wheeled into the room. Her naturally curious nature had found her keeping up with the technology of the day through medical journals she had retained subscriptions to, but reading about them and actually seeing them in action were two different things.

She sat back and readied herself to watch the show, her heart and mind much more optimistic than they'd been when she entered the room. Suddenly, she remembered Kenzi and turned to Amanda,

"Would you be able to go..."

She shook her head, standing before Lauren could say anymore, "I'll go deliver the good news."

"Thank you." Lauren smiled before turning back to the surgery below, in anticipation. She'd made a difference. Finally... she'd made a difference and the fact that it was Bo's life that had been hanging in the balance, made it that much better.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Lauren rubbed her neck as she watched Bo being wheeled from the operating room. She sat back in her chair for the first time, and despite the stiffness in her body, she heaved a heavy sigh and smiled. She switched off the intercom and headed up the steps to the exit.

Opening the door, she turned to head towards the waiting room where Amanda was no doubt still answering Kenzi's twenty questions. She took a step and ran smack into a worried Martin,

"Lauren! Is she okay? I'm so sorry, I just heard. I was with Manes and..."

"Martin, calm down. Please. It's okay. Bo's okay."

"Oh, thank God." He said, wiping the sweat from his brow, "I ran, Lauren. I actually ran. You know how I hate to sweat to anything except that gorgeous hunk of workout love, Shaun T."

Lauren laughed, "I'm well aware of your love of your online workout partner."

"One day, I'm going to meet him, but until then, I want you to make sure you tell our favorite General that I ran for her."

"You can tell her yourself when she's out of recovery..." she looked down at her watch, "...oh wow... later today."

"No sleep, I take it?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

"No, but... I made a difference!"

"You always make a difference, Lauren. You just don't give yourself credit for all that you're doing."

Lauren shook her head, her smile widening, "No, Martin. You don't understand. They were going to do open heart surgery on Bo, but... I figured it out! I figured it out and they did a very small surgery that barely put her life at risk by comparison. I made a difference in there, Martin." She said, pointing to the surgical theatre, "I didn't freeze. I worked it through when it counted and..." she smiled, shrugging as she lifted her palms up, "I made a difference."

Martin smiled, "I see, so the other Doctor Lewis made a difference."

She nodded, smiling.

"So, does this mean I'm going to lose my right hand to the medical world again?"

Lauren shook her head, "No... well, I don't think so. At least... that's not my plan. It was amazing to see the robots I've been reading about in my medical journals in real life. It gave me..."

"Oh no. It gave you ideas. Oh sweet Lord baby Jesus, save my soul the woman is going to kill me with project ideas for the next six months."

Lauren laughed, "But you'll be a rich man and you love that."

"Get me a date with Shaun T and I'll love that."

She slapped him on the arm, "We've discussed this, Martin. That man is married with children and you are no home wrecker, so move on."

She physically turned him around and pushed him towards the waiting room as he spoke, "But can't I at least meet him? Maybe get a private workout session with him?"

"Stop it! You've turned down every guy who has asked you out because you've been so obsessed with the workout guru. It's time to say yes to the next invite you get."

"Ugh. You know we spend too much time with military types. I don't want to date a soldier."

Lauren laughed, "Yea, well you're preaching to the choir there, buddy."

Martin laughed, "We're a mess, aren't we?"

"Yea, but the bright side is that we've no where to go but up and we can definitely afford a vacuum to sweep up our messes!"

The pair laughed their way to the lounge where the healthy-enough military personnel had gathered to support Kenzi and Tamsin. Haus waved Lauren over from his wheelchair,

"Hey boss lady! I hear you saved our favorite General!"

Lauren blushed, "I made a contribution, nothing more."

Kenzi laughed, "But you probably built the damn robot that did the surgery."

"I'm afraid I can't take credit for that either. I can tell you that they've officially wheeled her into recovery. Now we just have to wait and see."

"Wait and see?" Haus asked.

Lauren eyed Kenzi who gave her a nod. She sighed, "Well, before the surgery, the General's heart stopped several times. Her brain was without oxygen for quite a while, so she's not out of the woods yet."

The celebrations stopped abruptly as everyone turned to Lauren. Then, just as quickly as silence had spread through the room, questions began flying in Lauren's direction while others speculated throughout. Finally, Kenzi stepped up on top of an end table, stuck her fingers in her mouth and whistled... loudly.

"Hey! Your General is very much alive and she would expect optimism, not panic, so pull yourselves together." She swallowed hard at the sight of the worried faces among the battered bodies of Bo's troops, "Now, anyone that would like to pray, see the Minister over there. Those of you that would rather just sit here and hope with us, that's cool too, but if you're going to freak out and worry, go somewhere else to do it because we don't roll that way."

She stepped down and gave Lauren a nod. The blonde smiled in return, watching as the group moved to where they felt most comfortable. Her eyes landed on the Minister. As if by some mystical force, her legs moved towards them. She'd never been religious... not a day in her life... but in this moment as she sat on the single chair next to where the religious man stood, leading the first prayer, she felt comfort. She closed her eyes and listened to the rhythm of their collective voices as she thought to herself,

' _God, if you're really up there, hear their prayer and bring their General back to them. Give them their General and you'll restore their hope.'_

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Lauren awoke to find her body slouched back into the rigid waiting room chair. She moved to sit up, but stopped short as a surge of pain moved down her neck into her shoulder. Realizing that her head was cocked sharply towards her right, she slowly raised it, and then began working out the massive kink. She slowly swept her arms over her head, and then bent side-to-side trying to stretch out the stiffness in her muscles. Looking around the room to get her bearings, she realized the waiting area was empty of anyone she knew.

"Not the best chair to fall asleep in," she whispered, "Where is everyone?"

She stood, taking a step towards the elevator, but stopped short when she saw a piece of paper fall to the floor. Picking it up, she found her name printed on the outside of the fold. She opened the note,

" _Hotpants – we went to get some grub with that Nurse who told us you hate her. We'll bring you something back. Bo was taken to CCIU on the third floor. Meet you there. Kenzi and Tamsin. P.S. We're gonna stop by to check on Manes too."_

"CCIU? Why?" Lauren whispered, folding the note and placing it in her back pocket.

As she moved towards the elevator, she realized the sun was rising. She hit the button to call the lift to her floor and walked towards the window, leaning over the railing to take in the moment that streaks of orange and pink formed slowly across the horizon. Gradually, blue and gold lines mixed in until the clouds were gone. It was going to be a beautiful day. She could only hope there was a window in Bo's room. The pilot loved the sky and had shared with her how a morning flight could start her day off right.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

The comfortable silence of the sterile hallways enveloped Lauren as she walked towards the critical coronary care unit. She had fully expected Bo to be in intensive care, but critical care? She wasn't sure why that would be, considering the surgery had gone far better than expected. She tried to breathe in the quiet and keep herself calm, but the more she tried to calm herself, the quicker her pace became in her attempt to get to her destination. Something must be wrong. As she rounded the final corner to the unit, she almost ran into the Chief of Surgery,

"Well, good morning, Dr. Lewis."

Lauren gave a weak smile, crossing her arms over her chest, "Good morning, Chief... at least, I hope it's a good morning. I hadn't expected Bo to be in critical coronary care. Did something happen while I was asleep?"

The Chief's face twisted into a frown. As he sighed, his face morphed into a more neutral expression. Lauren was familiar with the drill. As a surgeon, you were meant to maintain neutral body language so as not to displace unnecessary worry onto patients and family members. She was right. He had bad news. She braced herself as he opened his mouth to speak,

"The surgery, as you know, went better than expected thanks to your ability to piece together the scene of the crime, so to speak. Had you not figured out the second explosion, I would have performed an open-heart procedure that would have been extremely high risk for the General. I am incredibly grateful for your presence in that amphitheater, Doctor. You demonstrated extreme prowess in the face of adversity. I suppose our loss in medicine is Aerospace Engineering's gain, but if you ever change your mind..."

"With all due respect, Chief, can we get back to Bo's condition?"

The Chief was clearly taken aback by Lauren's sudden and somewhat abrupt interruption to his cordial compliment, but he redirected the conversation immediately,

"Of course. Apologies."

"I'm... I'm sorry, Chief. I don't... I don't like to talk about my previous occupation. I did what I had to do to help you to help Bo. I didn't mean to be rude. I just... I don't do well discussing..."

As Lauren struggled to explain herself, the Chief covered her now fisted hands, "It's okay, Lauren. Now, about Bo..."

He nodded, receiving a tight smile in reply before he released her hands and continued,

"As you know, she was in intermittent arrest prior to the surgery which is why Kenzi was forced to make that decision for her sister in the first place. It was almost thirty minutes, so we are concerned about oxygen deprivation to both the heart and brain during that time as well as her already injured internal organs."

"Prognosis?" Lauren asked.

"We are cautiously optimistic at this point, but only because of the rumors circulating about her past and all she has survived before. She clearly has unfinished business, so we hope that her subconscious mind has her fighting to finish whatever it is she has to do."

Lauren nodded and offered a small smile, "She is a determined one and she does have unfinished business."

The Chief smiled, "Good to know."

"So what's being done?"

"We're keeping her on oxygen, I.V. fluids and nutrients. Her color is... well... not good, but we're hoping her O2 saturation levels continue to rise. Her heart rate has settled down a bit meaning she has less PVC's and tachycardia, but now we're dealing with moments of Bradycardia. We believe her electrical system is just a bit confused by the missing piece of shrapnel."

"Do you think it severed a nerve?" Lauren asked.

"Of course, that could be the case, but we can't know for sure. We're hoping it will rectify itself. If not, there are drugs we can use to regulate those rhythms. For now, we're waiting before we add another drug."

Lauren nodded, "Because her liver and kidneys have suffered so much damage from the first bomb."

The Chief nodded, his expression now moving to grave, "Lauren, I'm not going to lie to you. Her left kidney is a mess and her right isn't much better. It's placing a tremendous strain on her heart to keep her blood clean. We may have to go the dialysis route."

Lauren's eye went wide, her head shaking vigorously, "But she's to fragile to survive dialysis."

"If we don't do something to clean her blood, she'll die anyway," He reasoned.

"Not yet." She said, her mind moving a million miles a minute.

He put both hands up, "We're not doing anything yet. We're still waiting, but you should know that we have discussed this with Kenzi and she wants to be tested as a potential donor."

Lauren nodded, "If she's a match, she will give Bo a kidney without question."

"Yes, that was quite obvious."

Lauren's head snapped up, her eyes showing an urgency, "I have to go. I'll be back. Please do not do anything until I return."

"But Lauren, shouldn't you see her?"

Lauren shook her head, "Tell Kenzi I'll be back as soon as I can. If I see Bo, I won't want to leave her side. I need to go explore another option."

"Lauren, there is no other option!" he argued.

She smiled, "As you said, your loss is aerospace's gain. You don't have to be a surgeon to save lives, Chief. I must find my assistant. Tell Kenzi and Tamsin, please. I have to go to Quebec. I'll be back as soon as I can. I'll try to get a message to them... somehow. Thank you."

All the Chief could do is watch as the blonde turned and ran around the corner, disappearing from view. He stood silently for a moment before he turned and walked back to Bo's room. Entering, he moved to her bedside and watched as the nurse recorded her vitals and checked her I.V.'s.

"Any change?" He asked.

"No, Sir. Her O2 saturation has failed to improve thus far, but her pupils are still reactive."

"Well, I'll call that good news." He nodded.

"Me too." The Nurse replied, "I thought I heard Dr. Lewis?"

"You did. She left to go find... answers, I suppose."

"Answers to what?"

He looked down at Bo, "I guess answers is a bad word. I think she has ideas for a solution."

The Nurse sighed, "I'm afraid we've exhausted all solutions for a situation such as this. We're all amazed she's made it this far. We should have lost her last night."

"I agree, but the General is clearly not our average patient. This one's got fight and so does that Doctor of hers. I'm keeping my money on the General. I've got a hunch about this family."

"I hope you're right, Sir."

He nodded, "Me too, Captain. Me too."

Sliding his hands into his lab coat pockets, he turned and walked out of the room, running right into Kenzi. He smiled,

"Hello, Miss Malikov."

"Hello, Chief. How is she? Lauren in there?"

He looked up at the two women, "There is no change in your sister's condition and Doctor Lewis asked me to tell you that she would be back as soon as possible."

"She left when Bo's so sick?"

He shrugged, "I explained her condition and she said something about having to go find her assistant. She said she was going to find answers or a solution – in Quebec. I tried to tell her that there was nothing left to do, but she... well, I'm not sure, honestly."

Tamsin and Kenzi shared a glance before Kenzi looked up at the doctor, "One dose of brilliance coming up."

"What?" He asked.

"The Geek Squad to the rescue, Doc. Don't count Bo out yet. Her team is on the move."

They moved into Bo's room, leaving the Chief standing in the hallway scratching his head. Kenzi entered first, shouting to her sister,

"Hey Bo-Bo! Time to get up! Come on, you lazy sack of bones! We got things to do, places to go, people to see! No? Okay then, but you should know that Lauren is apparently sick and tired of watching your lazy ass sleep, so she went to try to build something brilliant to get you up and moving! Now, what do you want to hear about first? I've got the latest gossip rags from the newsstand. Do you want to know about the Kardashians or the latest cheating scandal?"

There was a pause before Kenzi answered her own question,

"Okay, let's keep up with Kim and the gang..."

"Ugh. Why in the world do you read that shit? it'll melt your brain." Tamsin said, plopping down in a chair while eating a bag of chips.

The Nurse moved into the hallway and laughed at the Doctor, "I think I'd wake up just to tell her to be quiet so that I can sleep."

The Chief smiled, "She is quiet a pistol, huh?"

Hale shook his head as he approached the Nurse and Doctor, "Nope, she's a Spitfire, not a pistol. I'm a member of Bo's squadron and Kenzi's boyfriend. Okay for me to go in?"

The Nurse flipped through the chart, "Your name, sir?"

"Naval Aviator Lieutenant Hale "Papa" Santiago."

The Nurse cocked her head, "I have a Naval Commander Hale "Papa" Santiago?"

Hale's eyes went wide, "Uh, unless someone gave me a raise in rank and salary that I don't know about, I'm a..."

"Naval Commander."

Hale spun to see Admiral Burke approaching. He stood at attention and popped a firm salute,

"At ease, Santiago. I take it General Dennis didn't have a chance to tell you about the promotion?"

"Sir, no Sir."

"Papa, I'm in a Hawaiian shirt on foreign soil and you're in a pair of baggy ass sweatpants and a 'Quebec is for Lovers' T-shirt. Clearly there is no need for you to call me sir every other word. How's Stick?"

"Sir... I mean... uh... I don't know, Admiral. I was just getting clearance to enter the room."

The Admiral turned his attention to the Chief, "How's she doin', Doc?"

The two men shook hands, "Bob, how are you?"

The Admiral replied, "I'd be a lot better if my people were all walking out of this hospital, I'll tell you that much. Any improvement?"

"Nope, just new concerns." The Chief replied.

He nodded, "We still need her, Pete... badly. I got personnel ready to step up and donate blood, organs, whatever you need."

The Chief nodded, "Roger that, Bob. Her sister has already offered her kidney. As you know..."

"Familial match is the best bet." He said, taking a few steps towards Bo's room.

Nodding he replied, "That doctor friend of hers if off chasing other solutions."

The Admiral stopped and turned back, "You mean Doctor Lauren Lewis?"

"Yes, Sir."

"She's good, Pete. Listen to her if she offers a solution. One of the most brilliant minds we've got."

"You don't have to tell me. That surgery I did last night? She saved me from taking a riskier approach... something I never would have thought of under that pressure."

"Lucky for us she works best under pressure. The more the better."

"I hope you're right Bob."

"Me too." He said, slapping Hale on his back, "Come on, Papa. Let's go see our favorite pilot."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Meanwhile, Streets of Quebec...**_

Lauren took the burner phone from Martin and dialed. Her partner waited patiently, turning to look at her when she began to speak,

"Bonjour, Jeannette. C'est tellement agréable d'entendre ta voix. Martin me dit que vous avez accepté de nous permettre d'utiliser votre laboratoire?"

Lauren nodded her confirmation of the use of their former partner's lab.

He smiled, "I told you she'd say yes."

Lauren continued, "C'est merveilleux. Nous devrions être là dans quinze minutes. Martin m'a aussi dit que tu avais encore le prototype de filtration?"

Lauren placed her hand over the phone, "She still has the prototype."

Martin laughed, "Yes, but now she's going to tell you that's it's not for human use and that it's unethical and bla, bla, bla."

Lauren slapped her friend as she listened to Jeannette's reply, but nodded that she had indeed emphasized his point.

"Oui, nous sommes conscients que vous ne l'avez jamais destiné à un usage humain, mais nous espérons pouvoir le rendre compatible. C'est une question de vie ou de mort."

"Told you." Martin laughed, "Same old Jeannette. We're going to be working under ethical conditions, I'm sure. Her lab, her rules, remember?"

Lauren waved him off before ending the call, "Très bien, on se voit bientôt."

She tossed the phone back to him, "You're terrible."

"No, I'm right." Martin laughed.

"Okay, so you're right but still, she's our best bet. We convince her, we save Bo without more surgeries... at least not while she's in such bad shape. Besides, it's not her lab. But I'm going to allow her to think it is until she gives me reason to pull rank."

"Lauren, it's not going to be that different from dialysis."

She shook her head, "It won't involve a BVT-AVF..."

"Lauren, the normal procedure gives her twelve months on average."

"Average, Martin. Bo's condition lowers that number substantially. If the fistula fails or the vessel is bruised or damaged, it's game over. She's on the verge of cardiac collapse right now. There's no way her body could take that, Martin. The filtration prototype is her best bet. I'm sure of it."

"You're the medical doctor."

"I'm not." Lauren replied, lowering her eyes.

But he nudged her chin upward, "Hey, like it or not, you are. This is when you're at your best whether you want to admit it or not... bringing the best of both of your worlds to any project you work on. We should be doing more of this, Lauren. You and Jeannette..."

"Are ancient history. You know how that went down. We can't work together, Martin. It's that simple."

"You could if you would..."

"I can't."

"You won't."

"Martin."

"Lauren."

She sighed, "Drop it."

"And what about Bo?"

"Bo has nothing to do with this."

"Bo has everything to do with this and you know it. If Jeannette won't play ball and this really is the only way to help Bo, she loses because you wouldn't play ball."

Lauren shrugged, "Yea, well some people don't play nice with others and Jeannette is one of those people."

Martin heaved a sigh, "You're so stubborn."

"It's served me well." She replied then realized she was being an ass to the one person who had always stood by her – even when Jeannette was trying to screw her over, "I'm sorry. I don't want to take this out on you, but I'm not giving her anything I don't have to give."

"Playing your cards close to the vest, huh?"

"For now, yes." She replied.

"Okay. You know using her lab isn't going to come free, right?"

"I'm aware." Lauren nodded, rolling her eyes, "Come on. Let's get this over with."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Late Evening, Hospital...**_

"Mmmhaa..."

Kenzi sat up, her eyes circling the room before she realized she was sitting opposite her sister. She stood, realizing Bo was waking up,

"Bo? Can you hear me?"

"Mmmm..."

"Hang on, Sis. You've got a tube down your throat. Just... try to relax. Don't try to talk."

Kenzi hit the call button over and over while kicking Tamsin, "Get up! She's awake!"

"Ohmagod! Bo!" Tamsin ran around the bed to the other side and placed a hand on her friend's forearm, "Just wait, Bo. The Nurse will be in..."

"Well hello there, General. It's nice of you to join us again. Let's have a look, shall we?" the Captain said, waiting for Tamsin to step aside so she could check Bo's pupils, "Those big brown eyes are working quite well. Let's have a listen to that ticker of yours."

She pulled her stethoscope to her ears and listened to Bo's heart sounds before looking up at Kenzi, "Still a bit irregular, but it's stronger than it was."

"Hello General Dennis. It's nice to see you again." The Chief said, entering the room with a smile. He moved to where Kenzi stood, "Let's take that tube out so that we can have a chat, shall we?"

Kenzi and Tamsin moved to the bottom of the bed while they went to work on Bo.

Bo gagged as the tube was removed causing her sister to jump off the bed,

"Oh horff!" Kenzi covered her mouth, scrunching up her face, "I did _not_ need to see that."

Tamsin stood, staring at her nails, "Yea, well not looking is suggested with most medical procedures in a hospital, dumb ass."

"Whatev. How do we get in touch with Lauren?" Kenzi asked.

"No idea."

"Well, do you know where she went?" Kenzi asked.

"How would I know? We've been in the same place for more than 72 hours, Kenzi. I know what you know about everyone."

Kenzi sighed, "Right."

They turned as they heard the Doctor ask Bo if she could speak,

"Take your time, General." He said, with a calming hand on her shoulder.

Bo raised her hand towards her throat, unable to touch it, "Feel... shit."

The doctor smiled and nodded, "That's not surprising considering all you've been through, but awake is a good sign."

Bo nodded, "Wa-ter." Her voice was hoarse and clearly sore.

The doctor moved the straw of a cup to her lips, "Just a small sip. No more."

She sipped and coughed when she tried to swallow. The nurse quickly applied pressure to her abdominal suture as Bo continued to work to clear her airway. Once it subsided, the Chief slipped the straw in front of her lips,

"Try again."

She did as told and was able to swallow the fluid down on the second try.

"There, that should help. Small sips like that every fifteen minutes or so. We're giving you plenty of fluids, but don't want your organs to have to work too hard to pump excess fluid out."

Bo frowned, "Bad?"

Kenz and Tamsin stepped to the bottom of the bed as the Chief made eye contact with them. He turned back to Bo and spoke,

"You had a rough night, Bo. Do you remember anything?"

She tapped her chest.

"You remember chest pain?"

She shook her head.

"You remember the arrhythmias?"

She nodded.

"Well, those arrhythmias led to cardiac arrest. We did CPR and used the defibrillator to get you back eventually, but it was about thirty minutes. Your memory may be a bit unclear about a few things, but that should be temporary. Do you remember how you came to be in the hospital?"

Bo nodded.

"Good, that's good. Do you remember me and the Captain here?"

Bo looked at their faces and nodded.

"Good. Do you know those two lovely ladies at the bottom of the bed?"

Bo smiled and nodded.

"Can you speak their names?"

"Kenzi and Tamsin. Spitfire and Rage."

The doctor looked at the women, "Are those your call signs?"

The pair nodded, as Kenzi gave an awkward wave, "Hey Sis."

"Hey Kenz."

"You kinda gave us a scare Bo-Bo." Kenzi said, walking up towards her beside.

She nodded, looking around the room.

"Lauren? Left?"

"She's on a mission to solve a problem."

"She... left."

"It's not what you think, Bo. She left to help you."

Bo shook her head, turning away from the group.

Kenzi moved to the side of the bed, "Doc, I'll give her the rest of the news. I think we're gonna need a little privacy for this part."

He nodded, "I'll be back in about fifteen minutes. We'll need to start making some decisions."

Kenzi nodded, "We're waiting for Lauren, right?"

He shrugged, "We don't have much time to wait. If we don't hear from her soon..."

"I'm aware, Doc but..." She looked at Bo, then back to the Chief, "Just... you told me everything, but..." She looked at Bo, "Lauren won't let her down. I know it. She just needs more time."

The Chief nodded, "I'll give her as much as I can."

Kenzi watched as he left the room before looking up at Tamsin who shoved her hands in the back pockets of her borrowed jeans,

"I'm going to go check on Manes."

Kenzi nodded, "Okay. See you for a late dinner in the cafeteria? I wonder if that lady's chicken pot pie can give me a heart attack if I eat it all three meals every day."

Tamsin shrugged, "Nah. I'm sure it's fat free." The pair laughed before the blonde added, "I'll see you in the cafeteria unless we're having Bo's surgery for dinner tonight."

Kenzi raised a finger, "Right."

"I'll stop back before dinner so I know what's going on."

"Okay." Kenzi nodded.

"Okay." Tamsin said, "Catch you later Stick." She waited for her friend to look up, but when she didn't, she gave Kenzi a sympathetic grin before turning to exit the room.

Kenzi sighed and turned back to her sister's bed. She walked around to the other side and carefully sat beside her, making sure to avoid the tubes and wires attached to her body. Lifting the long strand of black hair that was in her face, she spoke quietly,

"I know you love to jump to conclusions and think the worst, right away, but Lauren was here all night long, Bo. Hell, she was even in your surgery. She saved your life, actually."

Bo turned and looked up, "Sur...ger...y?"

"You really did it this time, Sis. You were actually dead."

Bo's eyes went wide.

"Yup. Damn near killed me, thank you very much. Anyway, they found a new piece of shrapnel in your heart on the last scan, which was the reason, your heart stopped. Luckily, they were able to get you back long enough to get you on bypass. The Nurse went to get Lauren in the cafeteria. They'd sent her there because she hadn't eaten for over a day. Apparently the Nurse was moving too slow for her and she took off like a rocket down the hallways. She found the surgical theatre thing and got in there with the help of an orderly or someone. It's a good thing she got in there, too. She was watching what they were doing and... well, you know how her big brain works... she decided they were doing the wrong thing and told them what she thought they should do."

Kenzi took a breath, then continued, the story getting progressively faster as she went on, "It turns out the Chief was gonna do some epic open heart surgery on you, but Lauren figured out that it wasn't necessary. You have a new incision in your back now, but the little piece of grenade is out of your heart, so that's a good thing. Unfortunately, your heart isn't happy about having been messed with, so it's not beating as best it could which means you're not getting enough oxygen. You look like something out of the Walking Dead without the gross stuff dripping out of your mouth."

Bo scowled, "Die?"

"Not if Lauren has anything to do with it... and... well, if she can't figure it out, we have a back up plan."

"Whas wrong?"

Kenzi paused for a moment trying to figure out a short way to tell her sister all the Chief had told her,

"When your heart beats, it circulates blood. Your blood carries all sorts of stuff to the liver and the liver sorts it all out – good from bad. The bad stuff goes to your kidneys and then it goes out of the body. So I guess you could think of your kidneys as a garbage disposal. The problem is, because of everything that happened to you, your kidneys are like a clogged drain, so the sewage is backing up in your pipes."

"What?"

"Your blood is dirty because your kidneys were all mangled by that bomb. They're not filtering out your blood and part of that is because your heart isn't beating too well either. So if they can't figure out a way to clean your blood, you'll get really, really sick... and _possibly_ die. So they want to..."

Closing her eyes, Bo managed one word, "Dialysis."

Kenzi sighed, "Yes, dialysis and I know all about how that went for Mom, but you don't have cancer, Bo. Besides, dialysis for you would just be temporary. The problem with that is that they have to do this surgery where they basically connect an artery to a vein in your upper arm to make all of your blood one big circle or something. It eliminates the job of the kidneys... well, apparently the big circle gets connected to the machine and the machine is your kidneys."

"Kenz..."

"It's a D something and an A something and something about a fisting you or something..."

"Fistula. Kenz..."

"Anyway, when they do that thing, where they put them together, that can go bad and then you have no way to clean your blood and you die anyway."

Bo's voice was raised and hoarse, "Kenz! I know! Mom!"

"Shit. I'm sorry, BoBo. You were the one the doctors talked to when Mom went through this. Of course you know, but... well... I didn't. I didn't know how bad it could get. But look... you're not Mom. You don't have to do this if..."

"Gotta try." Bo said, shaking her head, "Dying... not... an option. Water."

Kenzi nodded, cup and straw, "Only a sip. You basically have too many holes in your organs to hold any water."

She put the cup back on the table and turned to Bo, "Actually, I got tested. I can give you a kidney."

"No." Bo replied flatly.

"Yes."

"No."

"Sorry, Sis but it's my kidney, my decision. If they take my kidney out and you don't go through with it, they'll give it to someone on the donor list. I sure as hell would rather it go to you, but if a stranger needs it, that's fine too. Either way, I'm getting on that table and getting my kidney donated whether you're on the other table or not. Tell me you'll be on the other table, Bo. Tell me."

Bo's eyes welled up with tears before she relented, "Fine."

"I know your throat hurts, or you would have said thank you and I'll buy you that twin engine beauty I've been looking at to do that tour guide business."

Bo choked out a quick laugh, "Glad I don't need liver... yours sucks."

"Ha. Ha." Kenzi mocked sarcastically, "What can I say... all that time in Russia... vodka is my bff in the absence of my sister."

Bo frowned, taking her sisters' hand, "Don't risk yourself for me. Hale..."

"Hale schmale. You matter most to me and you know it. You go, I go. That's the rule. They take you to surgery, I'm right next to you in that surgery and it's my kidney you're getting. Who knows, maybe some of my awesomeness will rub off on you if you get one of my organs in your body."

Bo smiled, "Hope I don't get your boot addiction."

Kenzi laughed, "Honey, you should be so lucky to have my taste in boots."

Bo laughed, but instantly gripped her gut. Kenzi quickly grabbed the hard pillow and pressed on the old wound,

"Don't forget about the pillow, BoBo."

Bo sighed, "Tired, Kenz."

"You sleep."

"No. Tired of this."

Kenzi nodded, "I'm sure you are, Bo." She stood, "Why don't you sleep. Rest will help keep your heart rate down and make it easier on your kidneys to do their job. Besides, you need that oxygen back on. The Chief only took it off so they could take out the tube and let you have some water."

Reaching up to grab the oxygen mask, she smiled down at her sister, "Ready?"

Bo shook her head, "Ready for a desk."

"Right." Kenzi laughed, placing the oxygen mask over her sister's mouth and nose, but Bo pulled it to the side,

"Serious, Kenz... can't do... this anymore... some things... more important... than Mach 3."

Kenzi nodded, "Well, I hate to say it, but with all that's going on with your heart, I doubt they'll let you fly combat missions anymore."

"Permanent?"

"They don't know, Bo. Even if they straighten out your heart, if you only have one good kidney..."

"Desk it is." Bo nodded.

"You would seriously be okay with that?" Kenzi asked.

Bo stared straight ahead, her eyes seemingly looking into her future, "Want to teach."

"You want to go to the Academy?"

Bo shrugged, "Don't know... Scoop... Tracker... Ears... Eyes... good guys... need more like them."

Kenzi nodded, "They knew when to throw out the rule book."

Bo nodded, "Trial?"

"Not sure. We haven't left the hospital, but Lauren caught wind of something odd from a woman she met in the cafeteria last night. Really, really old guys are being activated to serve on some big military jury. This woman's husband was literally pulled from his house in the middle of the night and sworn into active duty on the plane here."

Nodding again, Bo said, "It's happening."

"Guess so."

"Good." Bo replied.

"Sleep, Bo. It's all you can do right now. In a few hours, they'll be making a decision about what happens next."

"Dialysis first." Bo said.

"Bo..."

"No. Dialysis first."

"Bo, that's not the best choice. You'll get weaker and have trouble surviving the surgery."

"I'll make it."

"Bo, you..."

"My body. My choice."

"Really? I don't think kidney transplants are the purpose of that slogan."

"Final decision."

"But if Lauren gets here with a better option, will you let her try her thing first? I mean, she did save your life during the heart surgery. I think she's sharp."

Bo paused for a long moment, "Really think... she's coming back?"

"She and Martin bolted out of here to go to some lab in Quebec where they have some secret project they think can help you. It's all I got from Chief. Give her a chance, Bo. She's always come through for us."

Bo nodded, "Timeline?"

"It depends on your body. The Chief will tell us when we have to do the dialysis surgery. When he says it's go time, I'll make him wait an extra ten minutes."

Bo nodded, "Give her fifteen."

Kenzi sighed, "You got it. Just... Bo, just... fight, okay? Keep fighting."

"Always." Bo replied.

Kenzi nodded, wiping tears from her eyes, "Hopefully Lauren will come through before you wake up. They said something about Quebec, so I guess the timing is gonna be a tight squeeze. I got that same feeling I used to get right before missions when I was flying."

Bo nodded.

Kenzi sighed, "Okay, well we just kicked Admiral Burke and Hale out. They want to see you. Is that cool?"

Bo nodded.

"Good. I'm going to step out so they can come in. Hopefully Lauren is back with a solution by the time the Admiral's visit ends."

Bo nodded, watching her sister leave. Her eyes welled with tears in response to the news she had just been given before she reined in her emotions and sighed, whispering,

"I know Lauren will come through."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **JLQ Aerospace Technologies, Inc., Quebec, Canada**_

"Lauren, you know my stance on this!" Jeannette replied, her French accent growing thicker as she raised her voice.

"Yes, I do and your stance is wrong. This is a chance for us to do something to save lives with our technology, Jeannette! Why are you resisting this? We can save a woman's life!"

"I think your emotions are clouding your ethical judgment in this case, Lauren." Jeannette replied.

Lauren threw up her hands, rolling her eyes, as she replied with a laugh, "Oh, here we go with the ethics! We've been up, down, sideways and around this issue over and over again!"

"Because I'm right on point with this and you both know it! This is made with robotic parts, not parts approved for human use!"

"It's stainless steel, Jeannette! There is no evidence that stainless steel would do any damage inside the body! Besides, we're not leaving it there! We're simply using the device to replace a kidney temporarily and I believe I've developed a method that would allow it to remain outside of the body, for the most part, rather than be implanted."

"The vessels won't hold up!"

"You don't know that!"

"Your patients' cardiovascular system is shutting down, Lauren! Your patient, who, by the way, I know is your current lover!"

"What?"

"I know, Lauren."

"I'm not sure what you think you know, Jeannette, but we've been on the run for almost three weeks now. I've not slept with anyone – not that I owe you any explanation about my love life."

"No, because my right to know about your love life were ripped away from me without warning!"

Lauren sighed, rolling her eyes, "So now we're getting to the real reason you're saying no. You don't want to help a woman who you think I'm in love with. Now who's being unethical?"

"That's ridiculous and you know it!"

Martin invented, "Actually, after what happened when Lauren left Quebec last, I don't think that's actually too far fetched. As a matter of fact, I believe that if I called a meeting of the JLQ Board of Directors, they may actually side with Lauren on this."

Jeannette grew silent, "You wouldn't."

Lauren sighed, sitting back in her chair, "Listen, Jeannette, we are in a desperate situation here and my love life has nothing to do with it. I'm sure you've noticed... maybe even smelled by now, that our clothing is less than fresh and even less our own. We've been in trouble for almost six months now and are in the middle of a situation that this woman has the ability to bring to an end IF she survives."

"How can one woman..."

"Geez, Jeannette! She's a key witness in a murder investigation! Now I can't say any more without putting your life in danger! Believe it or not, I wish you know harm. Now please - don't make me force your hand!"

"Are you threatening me?" Jeannette asked.

Martin pulled out a document from a backpack and tossed it on the Doctor's desk,

"I take it you are well aware that Lauren retained her holdings in this company when she left and I have inherited Quinn's shared since his passing almost two years ago now."

Jeannette began, "I know I am only part owner, but..."

"But nothing, Jeannette." Martin interrupted, "Lauren and I can walk down to the lab and take the prototype right now. We can walk out of here with it and you can do nothing legally to stop us. We were hoping, however, to work right here and then award the credit to this company rather than Lewis Enterprises."

"And if it fails?" Jeannette asked.

"Lewis Enterprises will own it... or the American military." Martin mumbled the last part, causing Lauren to giggle. Martin was well aware that if anything happened to Bo, his friend would love to lay the blame on the Generals who put them all in this situation to begin with.

"Jeannette? S'il vous plaît. Aide-moi à sauver mon ami." Lauren pleaded. While the blonde felt no loyalties to the woman, she didn't wish her any real harm... just the imaginary version she'd envisioned several times as their troubled relationship had met its agonizingly slow demise.

The woman sat, staring at the document on her desk before looking up at the Lauren, "One condition."

"Name it." Lauren stated with certainty.

"I do this, you give up your shares of my company."

"Done." Lauren said, as her assistant protested, but she held up her hand, "But I have one condition. The shares I currently own go to Martin."

"No way." Was Jeannette's categorically reply.

"Yes way." Lauren retorted firmly, "This company owns too many of my personal patents and you know it."

Martin folded his hands across his belly as he leaned back in his chair. He'd seen Lauren in negotiation mode on many occasions and knew how this was going to play out. Poor Jeannette was out of her league.

"Seventy-five twenty-five split of your shares. I want to finally have a controlling interest in my company." Jeannette countered.

"You have not earned a controlling interest and it is OUR company, not yours. Sixty-Forty. Martin has the controlling interest so that my patents are protected by someone who understands them." Lauren replied.

"What?" Jeannette exclaimed, but Lauren cut her off before she could speak,

"Martin will retain the controlling interest in the company. Not only do I NOT trust you to protect my patents, your specialty is Architectural Engineering, not Aerospace. You rely on your employees to make decisions about your products and therefore have no control over what they attempt to do with the products that I own the patents on. Those products represent me and my reputation and therefore, have a direct impact on Lewis Enterprises. I will not allow engineers I do not know and have not personally selected as employees to have carte blanche use of my patented products to put into machines that may be sub par due to other components manufactured by this company."

Martin had noticed Jeannette's eyes glaze over sometime after Lauren had mentioned her reputation. The woman really had no sense of how her ex had become a world reknowned Aerospace Engineer in such a short career. Her reputation was the most important commodity Lauren Lewis, Ph.D. possessed and she protected that commodity with her life. Lauren would call the board before she would allow Jeannette to own a controlling interest in her patents and Martin knew it. Unfortunately for the woman behind the desk, she didn't realize that Quinn and Lauren were the owners the Board respected and wanted to work with. They relied on Lauren to keep Jeannette in check, albeit from a distance these days, but in check nonetheless.

The silence was broken by Jeannette's slow eruption into laughter. She had the look of someone not fully in control of their faculties,

"You want this man... instead of me with whom you shared a life... to own the controlling interest in a company he entered at the ground floor? He was nothing... nobody when we started this company with Quinn! Let's all be honest here. If it wasn't for him getting into Quinn's pants, he'd still be on the ground floor now. The idea of you wanting me to give him a controlling interest is hysterical. He's as unethical as you are with this prototype. You're asking me to give up my company to this... gigolo! That's really rich, Lauren."

"First, he was Quinn's husband, so show some respect. He never asked for a dime from any of us and, for your information, used the inheritance he received from Quinn's estate to provide a college fund for the village that Quinn adopted in South Africa. He didn't keep a dime of the money he was left."

"Well isn't he just a Saint. You're forgetting that he had no problem keeping the shares in my company!"

"Yes he did and he's much closer to Sainthood than you or I will ever be Jeannette. Look, you have never had a controlling interest in this company and you know we have left you alone to do as you see fit with the company since Martin took over Quinn's shares. We haven't agreed with everything you've done, but we have always left you to full creative control..."

"Not with this prototype..." Jeannette began, but Lauren snapped,

"Geezus, Jeannette! Your employees wanted to use it to create a filtration unit for nuclear waste! That's not even a hypothetically sound possibility with that device! They could have leaked deadly radiation into ground water over half of the North American continent!"

As Lauren's anger and frustration rose yet again, Martin placed a steadying hand on her forearm. She sat back and took deep breaths, blocking out Jeannette's muttered retort. Finally, she spoke with a steady voice, interrupting her once again,

"Jeannette, every investor agreed..."

"Because they always listen to you, Lauren!"

"With good reason, Jeannette." Martin replied.

Lauren shook her head, "The simple truth is, there are too many investors that will be unwilling to allow you to have sole financial control because they don't trust the engineers you've hired to replace me and Quinn."

"They don't trust them because you and Quinn – well, just you now – come to every damn board meeting and speak out against most of the products they've pitched! You are always butting in and yet you never work an hour for this company!"

Lauren shook her head, "Because we agreed you would have creative control. You wanted me out, Jeannette, so I'm out. Don't you dare complain about me not working on your products. We agreed that as long as you were using my patents to create the majority of your product line, you would have full creative control and I would retain my shares with the board having controlling interest in product launches. I have to admit that I have only I've stepped in when one of my patents was being used for something I wanted more information about. Take up the rest of your complaints with the board."

"Yea, well this company continues to line your pockets and now you're asking..."

Lauren was frustrated and tired of catering to Jeannette's petty grudge,

"I'm not going to keep going around on this with you, Jeannette. We have a contact, plain and simple. I'm maintaining my part of the bargain – I always have. You continually make it harder and harder for me to be in your presence, so if you want to complain about my absence, you'll have to check the mirror on that one."

She took a breath. She didn't want this conversation to get personal and that's exactly where it was headed. Taking a breath, she softened her approach,

"Jeannette, I'm asking you to give Martin what he deserves. He worked his ass off for this company and continues to do so for mine. He was Quinn's greatest partner in the business as well as life whether you want to admit it or not. I want to take care of him as an employee and as a friend. I promised Quinn I would take care of him if anything ever happened to him. I never thought... I thought... I thought Quinn would always be here, but life had other plans. If I'm giving up what's mine, I'm giving it up to the one person I trust most with my work and reputation."

She took a breath,

"If I'm giving up my shares, I have a right to say where they go because it IS partially my company as well. I don't expect you to understand because Martin is my friend – not yours. He was Quinn's partner – not yours. He's my family and we take care of each other."

Her mind raced to set the emotions of the moment aside so she could focus on the business facts,

"Here are the indisputable facts. More than eighty percent of the patents used by this company to build products are the personal property of Doctor Lauren Lewis. As agreed in our legal and binding contract, I don't charge you for the use of those patents in exchange for a share of the profits my patents continue to generate from the products I created as well as those that are newly created by the company. In short, without those patents, you're out of business. That said, sixty percent of my shares go to him or I take the prototype to the board and tell them that you're trying to extort us. Together, we will bring charges against you and leave you with nothing but fines and possibly some time in a Quebec prison. If memory serves, no one in North American – Canadian or American – is fond of extortion."

Jeannette went to argue, but Lauren cocked her head and gave her a warning glance. Finally, the woman relented,

"Fine. You win. Martin gets the damn shares, but he does not hold a title."

Lauren shrugged, "Call it what you want, but he does become the controlling member of the board. Apparently you want me out so badly, that you'll give him the final say on everything you do rather than have my voice on the board at all."

"You said it, not me."

Lauren shook her head, blowing out a breath, "You know, I was surprised when you took my call and agreed to help. I thought maybe we'd turned a corner and that I'd misjudged you. I think deep down inside, I knew I couldn't count on your help for free. With you, there's always a price."

"Yea, well with you, there was always a cost and in the end, it was my heart." Jeannette said, tears in her eyes as she stood from her desk and turned away.

"It didn't have to be that way, Jeannette." Lauren said, "I just needed time."

She spun around, tears now staining her cheeks as she slammed her hands down on the desktop,

"You could have talked to me!"

Lauren chuckled, shaking her head slowly as she looked down at her hands,

"Hell, I couldn't even admit to myself what had happened to me all those years ago. I wasn't healthy, Jeannette. I needed time to fix what was wrong with my head and you refused to give me that time."

The woman sat at her desk again, "And so you tried to take my company!"

Lauren shook her head,

"I tried to preserve what was rightfully mine and Quinn's when you tried to have me declared mentally unfit and him physically unfit. When he was diagnosed with cancer, Martin had every right to inherit his partner's portion of the company despite what the laws of the day claimed. Like him or not, Martin was by Quinn's side... by your side... by my side from day one. He busted his ass for this company and so did I, but that meant nothing to you! Your need for vengeance... you tried to take everything from him! Everything Martin and Quinn had worked to build with us! I was not about to stand by and allow you to do that to people who had been a family to this company. Jeannette, Lauren and Quinn... JLQ Aerospace, Jeannette. We were in it together until you took advantage out of spite and anger. Why? Because I asked for the time I needed to deal with my PTSD."

"PTSD?" Jeannette asked.

Lauren stood, looking back at Martin who gave a knowing smirk ,

"Yes. I can finally admit that I was... am... a victim of PTSD from my time in Afghanistan... and... I am healing... slowly, but I'm healing. One of the recent promises I made to myself was that I was not going to be afraid to act anymore, so here I am, standing up to you and taking what's mine so that I can save my friend. The prototype is mine, free and clear, I own the patent. You've let it sit on a shelf to spite me and you know it. The only new products you've used it for were ones that were never going to gain approval from the board, so don't talk to me about profits I've gained from this company. The only profits I see are from designs I originated."

Lauren stood, "Jeannette, you know we are on a tight timeline. Someone's life is at stake here. If we have a deal, draw up the papers. Martin and I will swing by to sign them before we leave Quebec for the States. Be sure you don't place any other conditions in that contract. My lawyers will be reviewing them for Martin before either of us sign. If we don't have a deal, then say so now."

Jeannette sat still at her desk, her eyes down. Lauren could see the small tremor in her hands and knew the woman was still very upset by what had transpired between them. Maybe Lauren taking a clean break from the company would give Jeannette a chance to get some closure.

"For what it's worth," Lauren began, "I loved you, Jeannette. Maybe if you had given me time, I might still be here. But you held on too tightly... you clipped my wings and made me feel like a hostage. Maybe knowing that will help you to move forward and not wish ill will on me and my friends."

Lauren nodded to Martin who stood, wiping his hand down his chest to straighten the tie that was oddly not present. He looked down and laughed at himself for his semi-obsessive behavior when it came to wearing a suit and tie. Quinn had always tried to get him to loosen up and wear a polo shirt on occasion, but he'd always refused. Damn proper upbringing. He turned to walk towards the door, but turned back with Lauren when Jeannette spoke,

"Lauren? Martin?"

Lauren acknowledged her request for them to turn back to her, "Yes?"

"I hope it works."

They looked at each other before Lauren replied, "Merci, mon vieil ami."

Jeannette nodded, "Tu seras toujours plus qu'un ami pour moi, Lauren."

Lauren simply nodded before she turned and walked through the door. Martin gave a single nod, receiving one in kind before he too, exited the room. Jeannette sat in silence, reaching down to pull open a drawer in her desk. She tossed the document into the drawer, before pulling out a bottle of whiskey and a glass. She poured a generous amount before capping the bottle and placing it back in the drawer.

She stood and walked to the window, looking down at the street below. She drew the curtain open and held the glass to her lips, waiting. Finally, she watched as her visitors exited the building, carrying the agreed upon equipment to their cab. She smiled when Lauren looked up to her window as she had so many times when leaving to head out to a meeting or home to let out the dog. She raised her glass to the blonde who smiled before getting into the yellow vehicle and driving away,

"Adieu, mon amour." Jeannette replied, downing the liquid in a single gulp and swallowing hard.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_


	8. Chapter 8: Battlelines

_**A/N:**_ _Here's the next chapter! I think one more after this should do it! Thank you again for taking the time to read and review! I'm grateful for each and every one of you!_

 _FrenChi and Guest – Again, high school French 5 is all I've got, so your French lessons are appreciated! If I ever finish these rewrites for publishing, I'll be sure to ask for your help to get it right! For now, I love frustrating you with my awful French! Haha! Really, it's such a beautiful language, I'm just glad FanFic sites aren't audiobooks! Then you'd hear just how poor my command of the French language really is! Sorry to butcher your native tongue, but I hope I get points for trying! Thanks again!_

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Chapter 8: Battlelines**_

 _ **Streets of Quebec, Canada**_

"She's still in love with you, Lauren."

She kept her eyes on the passing streetlights as she nodded and replied, "I know, but there's nothing I can do about that."

"So... in there... you've finally admitted it?"

Lauren turned to her friend, offering a tight smile, "The PTSD? Yea, how about that?"

"Admitting it is the first step in healing."

"That's AA, Martin."

"I think it's anything having to do with the mind, Lauren... like admitting that this filtration unit may not work the way you hope it will."

Lauren nodded, "I've already admitted that, Martin. But it sure as hell doesn't mean I'm not going to try."

"Do you think the Chief will be willing to do the surgery?"

Lauren shrugged, "It's an American patient on Canadian soil on a mission that is not on the books. She has no family other than Kenzi. I think all of those facts may be enough to convince him to do it since it will allow him to make two simple incisions and take the pressure off of Bo's most severely damaged kidney."

"Do you think Kenzi will agree to it?" Martin asked.

Lauren shrugged again, "Not sure. Hope so."

She turned to stare out the window into the night for a long moment before reaching down to pull out a tablet and a pen from Martin's briefcase.

"Drawing up the plan?" Martin asked.

Lauren nodded, "I think a visual will make it more likely that the Chief will be willing to try the surgery."

They rode in silence for a long while before Martin sighed and spoke, "Can we talk about the elephant in the room... or car as it were?"

"As it is, not were." Lauren snarked.

"Is then."

"What elephant? I don't see one." Lauren replied, looking around the vehicle and in Martin's backpack.

He rolled his eyes, "Come on, Lauren. You just gave me half the shares to your first Aerospace company. I'm going to own that damn company with the wicked witch of the North."

Lauren sighed, dropping her pen onto the tablet, "You'll have more than half and she's a very good engineer – albeit an Architectural and not Aerospace engineer, but she's good nonetheless. As for the witch part, she's not that bad. She'll grow on you."

"Like mold. Really? I seem to recall about thirty nights over the course of five years that you snuck away with some excuse about a trip to the states... and I believe one to France, was it? You came to stay with Quinn and I because she was being too possessive."

Crossing her arm over her waist, she looked at Martin, "And your point?"

"You just said she's not that bad and yet you had to avoid her."

Lauren laughed, "Well, unless you've suddenly decided to date women, I don't think you have anything to worry about. Besides, are you planning to leave Lewis Enterprises and work with Jeannette permanently?"

Martin scowled, "Of course not. I mean... I won't have to do that, right?"

"Other than those board meetings I go to once a month, no." Lauren asked.

Martin nodded, "The shareholder meetings."

"Right. You'll have to go to those now." Lauren replied.

Once again, they allowed silence to overtake the space. Just when Lauren felt it safe to pull out her pen once again, Martin spoke,

"What's to stop me from selling my shares back to you?"

Lauren shrugged, "Nothing, I suppose."

"So if I did, you and I would still own about two-thirds of the company." Martin said.

"Just about." Lauren smiled.

"You're a genius."

"That's what the test scores say." Lauren replied.

"An evil genius." Martin amended.

Lauren raised her pinky finger to the corner of her mouth, a small smirk forming there before the two burst out laughing. Eventually, the stress and fatigue of the past months in combination with the reminder of their recent loss took over and the laughter turned to hysteria until they were both crying in each other's arms. They held on tightly, hopelessly wishing away the past as rain began to fall hard on the roof of the car.

Martin pulled back first, "Sorry. I don't know where that came from. Not very proper for an old Brit like myself."

Lauren smiled, wiping her face and sitting back in her seat, "You're far from old and as for proper, you're losing your accent from spending too much time with us North American types."

"Ah, so that's how it happened."

"How what happened?" Lauren asked.

"The corruption of my virginity."

"That was all your beloved Husband, my friend."

"Indeed it was and honestly, I don't recall ever putting up a fight."

Lauren smiled, "You were head over heels in less than a day."

Martin chuckled, "Less than that, I can assure you."

He looked out the window for a long moment, watching the rain pour down the glass like the thousands of tears that had stained his cheeks for a month after Quinn had died,

"I miss him, Lauren." He said quietly.

Lauren swallowed hard, fighting back tears so she could focus on being there for her friend rather than her own grief over the loss of Quinn,

"I know you do, my friend. I wish there were words that could take away the pain in your heart, but I know there is nothing I can say that can fill that emptiness... the ache."

She hung her head, raising her hand to her heart, the familiar pain of those she'd lost making itself known as faces raced through her mind.

Martin nodded, turning toward his friend. He took her hand,

"There may be nothing you can say to bring me comfort, Lauren, but your presence in my life has been more comfort to me than I can ever say."

"I will always be here for you, my friend." She replied, her voice filled with conviction.

Martin smiled, "I know you will, as I will be for you."

She nodded, covering his hands with hers. They sat in silence, their eyes lingering on their joined hands as a few more silent tears fell from the man's cheeks. The sound of the rain lent a strange sense of peace and comfort to the quiet of the vehicle. Finally, Martin spoke,

"Quinn would be happy you stuck it to the witch." Martin laughed, slipping a hand away from Lauren's to wipe his cheek

Lauren nodded, her grin wide, "Actually, I think he would have liked to have done the sticking himself."

"He never liked her. As a matter of fact, he loathed her... and he definitely never thought she was good enough for you, much like that Nadia."

Lauren laughed and nodded, "Yes, he told me he preferred me be the platonic portion of our threesome and live happily ever after with the two of you."

Martin joined in her laughter, "He said the same to me many, many times. He didn't understand why you needed – and I quote, 'that horrid woman in your life', when you had us. He decided that a 'personal toy' could do better for you than she ever could, so she served no real purpose that we couldn't fulfill."

"He actually said that to you?" Lauren asked, laughing off her shock.

Martin nodded, a large grin on his face as he remembered their discussion one night before bed, "He did. Oh how much he adored you, Lauren. If he was anything but a gay man, I would have lost him to you."

"Ah, but the problem there is that I would have had to be interested in that little item dangling between his legs." She laughed.

Martin shook his head, "It was far from little, darling."

Lauren's face soured, "Ewww."

"So sensitive." He laughed, patting Lauren's hand before he turned to a more serious topic, "So, about the deal you just made with the wicked witch of the north... the shares..."

She shrugged, "Actually, while we were negotiating..."

"If that's what you want to call it." Martin interjected.

She shook her head, but continued, "...I hadn't thought of you selling the shares back to me." Lauren said, quietly, "I was just thinking of anything I could do to save Bo. Giving up the company seemed a small price to pay. It was just a random idea that suddenly popped into my head when I spontaneously decided that I should try to keep her from selling off my life's work."

"So you wouldn't resent Bo if things don't work out between the two of you?" Martin asked.

She paused for a moment before she looked up at him, "I wish I could sort out the feelings I'm feeling. I think there's just so much riding on everything right now and you know I don't do well in relationships when I'm feeling pressured. But what I'm sure of is that I would never hold Bo accountable for any of the decisions I'm making right now. Good or bad, right or wrong, all decisions are mine. I'm learning to own my own shit."

Martin smiled, "Quinn would be so proud."

"He would." She replied with a satisfied grin, "I'm proud of myself. I have no desire to repeat the mistakes I made with Jeannette. Whether or not you sell those shares back to me, I'm satisfied I'm doing the right thing for everyone concerned – Bo, Jeannette, you, Quinn and me. It will all work out as it's meant to."

"Is that the great Doctor Lauren Lewis putting stock in destiny?" Martin asked.

Lauren shook her head, "Karma."

Martin nodded, "Speaking of Karma, am I truly evil for wanting Jeannette to get some of her own?"

Lauren shook her head, "She's caused a lot of harm to a lot of people. All of the employees I hired were the first to be fired when I left the company and she had pink slips written in advance for all of Quinn's hires."

"I heard she handed them out three hours after she learned of his death."

Lauren nodded, "Sad, but true. Before that, she tried to buy out six members of the Board of Directors by lying to them..."

"Frank told me she'd tried to buy him out by telling her that Constance had agreed to sell to her." Martin replied.

"She was naïve to think the members don't share information. That was the first proverbial straw of many that almost broke any stake she had in the company."

Martin nodded, "It began when Quinn was still alive. I can't tell you how hurt he was when she tried to get his shares while he was still alive because he was physically unfit for work."

Lauren shook her head, her brow knit tightly together, "No need to tell me. We spoke of it many times. He advised me every painful step of the way. I may have been the brains of the operation, but he was the business mind and his lawyers were brilliant."

"Another group that was fired after his death. If I never told you, I was grateful that you hired that team to work for Lewis Enterprises." Martin replied.

"Ambrose Martin, Jr., Esquire. He was the one who single-handedly prevented her from achieving her goal. Well, him and of course, Quinn's fantastic knowledge of business contracts."

Martin agreed, "The man knew numbers, that's for sure."

"And now we know that she's still trying to become sole owner of JLQ." Lauren sighed.

Martin laughed, "Quinn told me the story of the company name once."

Nodding, Lauren replied, "She really was an egomaniac. We both knew that was why she wanted the 'J' first, so when Quinn intercepted her explanation stating that we could agree to that because alphabetical order made sense, it was all I could do to keep from laughing. I think she was expecting an argument from us."

"He said that anytime the company name was mentioned or questioned by a client..."

Lauren laughed, "Quinn was always quick to explain that it was our first initials in alphabetical order so that she couldn't lead a client to believe it had anything to do with ownership or decision-making power. We even gave her the bigger office with the better view."

Martin nodded, "Egomaniac and power hungry."

Lauren nodded, "For us, it was always about the work. For her, it was... well, I guess I'll never know what it was about for her."

"Control."

"I suppose." Lauren replied.

Martin thought for a moment before he asked, "Do you really think she would do it? Try to gain full control? I mean, if she did, she would have to sell the rights to the products that were made with your patents and you would still get royalties from those products."

Lauren smiled, "And she would be a very rich woman who had shed her life of all reminders of one Lauren Lewis."

Martin nodded, "Good point."

"Yes."

"Maybe she would be willing to let me buy her out altogether." Martin replied.

Lauren turned to face her friend, "It's sounding more and more like you're planning to leave me."

Martin shrugged, "I was thinking more along the lines of me buying her out and then you and I merging the two companies."

Lauren thought for a moment, and then smiled, "Fifty-fifty partners?"

He smiled, "I'd like that. You?"

"I would still want ownership of my existing patents." Lauren stated clearly and honestly.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Martin smiled.

"I think Quinn would like that." Lauren replied.

Martin nodded, "We'll have to look into that."

"Agreed." Lauren replied pulling out her tablet and pen to finish her drawings.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Lauren entered Bo's room to find it empty. Panicked, she turned to Martin, "She's not here. The bed it empty."

Martin watched as the color drained from Lauren's face, "Don't get carried away, Lauren. Let's go ask first."

They hurried to the Nurses' station, Martin all but holding the blonde up as her legs grew weaker with each step, fear churning in her gut.

"Can I help you?"

"This is Doctor Lauren Lewis..."

"Right. Chief told me you might come here first. They had to move her to the Infectious disease ward. Her blood pressure dropped quite suddenly and..."

"Sepsis." Lauren said, her whole body shuddering as she said the small but powerful word.

Martin looked at his friend, "What..."

"Her vital signs would have indicated systemic inflammatory response syndrome or SIRS and a condition known as sepsis for them to move her there. In all likelihood, her organs will begin to fail. It's likely that her kidney or kidneys are already doing so. Next, her brain will be deprived of oxygen, causing loss of various motor and memory functions followed by muscular degeneration. We may be too late."

"Lauren, you didn't do all of this to give up while she's still alive." Martin said, gripping her shoulders tightly.

She looked up at him, her big brown eyes filled with tears. Hopelessness was all that Martin saw before he turned her in his arms and gripped her shoulders, shaking her firmly as he spoke,

"No, Lauren. You will not give up. You're Doctor Lauren Lewis. You never give up until there is nothing left to do."

He turned around, lifting the crate off the floor and presenting it to her, "There's still something you can do."

He pulled his backpack from his shoulder and pulled out the notebook. Handing it to her, he said, "I'll be with you every step of the way. Chief has nothing to lose by letting you try now."

With some effort, she pulled her eyes from his face and gazed down at the notebook in his hand before staring at the plastic box she now held,

"Right. Do something." She replied.

Realizing she was frozen in place, Martin turned to the Nurse, "Where?"

She nodded, "I'll show you."

The woman signaled to another Nurse before stepping around the counter to lead Martin to the ward. For his part, Martin gripped Lauren beneath the armpit and led her down the hallway, whispering as they walked,

"She's not dead yet, Lauren. I know you've seen her close to death several times now, but she's never left you. She's a fighter, remember? She's as stubborn if not more so than you. She won't give up." He stopped and turned to face her, "Will you?"

She swallowed hard, "No."

She added, "Never."

"Never." He replied giving her a firm nod, "Now let's go."

She gave a reassuring nod before stepping onto the elevator with the Nurse. Lauren watched as she pushed the number five. The doors slowly closed. Lauren leaned against Martin for support as she watched the numbers tick by. The doors opened, the Nurse stepped off and she followed as if on autopilot.

Sensing that his friend was not quite with him yet, Martin spoke, "What happens next, boss."

"Uh... I... uh..."

He stopped her, wiping his hand down his chest and placing his hands in the pockets of his jeans,

"Doctor Lewis, I need to know the process we are going to follow with this prototype. We have not yet attempted human trials. Can you please explain our process so that I can aide you in your presentation of the idea to the Chief of Surgery."

Lauren looked at her friend, his profile stern and strong, his facial expressions neutral. Her eyes moved to the prototype in the box,

"First, you will present the notes we reviewed in the car while in transit from JLQ. You should place specific emphasis - as often as possible - on the fact that, while we have not attempted human trials, his patient is at end stage of her Living Will. If he does not try this, he will likely have no further recourse. It is likely that attempting dialysis or transplant at this point will result in a less than satisfactory outcome for the patient, given the nature of her career and last wishes."

"Yes, Doctor Lewis. Next step?"

Lauren nodded as they arrived at the door to the ward, "I will explain the device to the Chief while you provide the diagrams that correspond."

"If he declines?"

"We will turn to the next of kin. Hopefully she will see the merit of this option."

"Yes, Doctor Lewis."

The Nurse held the door for the pair, "Just down the hallway, first room on the right directly across from the Nurses' station. You'll have to drape yourselves first, so please..."

Lauren waved her off, "I am a medical doctor. I understand and will be sure that my colleague is draped properly. Thank you for your assistance."

She nodded, "You're welcome, Doctor. Good luck."

Lauren gave the young nurse a tight grin before proceeding through the door. Once draped, they entered the room to find Kenzi, Tamsin, Hale, Specter and Doc in the room. She moved her gaze directly to the Chief who was standing at Bo's bedside, checking Bo's vitals.

"Chief." Lauren spoke with authority.

"Sketch! Finally!" Specter spoke, standing up to move towards her, but Martin shook his head and waved him back to his seat as he spoke,

"Doctor Lewis has just spent the last hours coming up with a solution. Given the information we've just received from the Nurse, we believe this is now the General's best option for the most successful outcome."

"Successful outcome?" Kenzi snapped, "What are you? A robot? My sister is dying and where have you two been? Off jet setting in Quebec?"

Martin glared at Kenzi, "Actually, we traveled by taxi and, with some effort, we've acquired the promised prototype that we believe can save your sister's life, Miss Malikov..."

"Miss..." Kenzi began, but Martin slowly shook his head, his eyes moving to Lauren who stood staring at Bo before looking back at Kenzi.

"Doctor Lewis has been objectively analyzing the most recent data she acquired – with some difficulty – from her former business partner. She wanted to be sure that the prototype could perform as she expects. Wearing both her engineering and physician hats, she believes she can turn this situation around and I agree."

Kenzi stood, her voice echoing in Lauren's left ear as she spoke, "You have nothing to say to me? She's dying. Does that mean nothing to you?"

As Lauren turned to face Kenzi, the Chief drew her attention, moving so that her gaze was set on him, "Doctor Lewis, can we step outside to discuss the use of this protoptye, please? We have little time to waste."

Martin nodded, "As expected, Doctor. Lauren will step outside with you while I review the vitals to be sure we are still in acceptable parameters for the device."

"Very well." The Chief replied.

Kenzi went to speak, but Martin gripped her upper arm tightly, moving towards her so that Lauren could pass behind him. He looked up and handed the notebook to the Chief, his eyes telling the elder physician all he needed to know about Lauren's current mental state. He turned instead to Kenzi,

"Back off."

"Excuse me?" Kenzi replied.

"You heard me. You have no idea what we've just gone through in order to acquire this prototype. We came as quickly as we could considering the battle we had to fight to get what we needed. When we got to Bo's room on the cardiac ward, Lauren went just about catatonic when she saw Bo's bed empty... and I mean no sheets, no nothing. It would have been nice to have a heads up, by the way. When we went to the Nurses' station, that young Private or whatever she was said one word and Lauren locked up. Sepsis is deadly and I don't have to tell you that, as a physician, Lauren sank into hopelessness, guilt and many other emotions I have not yet identified when she heard that little six letter word."

Tamsin spoke, "Kenzi..."

Kenzi threw her hands up in the air, "I know, I know. Back off."

Martin sighed, "I know this isn't easy for you, but no matter what you think of Lauren, this is not easy for her either. You don't know her history and out of respect for her privacy, I am not going to tell you the stories. What I will ask you is to consider these facts, which you may or may not already know. First, Lauren served in Afghanistan as a medical doctor in a M.A.S.H. unit. She saw first hand what happens to soldiers – specifically pilots. Second, most of the people that doctors treat in units that close to the front lines never see their loved ones again. Instead, they deliver messages to those loved ones through the doctor or nurse who is holding their hands when they go."

Kenzi covered her mouth and sat down as the full gravity of Lauren's experience began to sink in.

"Third, you'll notice that Lauren is no longer practicing medicine... at least she wasn't until she was pulled into a conflict she never asked for and was forced to use those skills again to attempt to save men and women who had befriended her."

"Fourth, Lauren doesn't have many friends. She doesn't let people in because people tend to leave her or burn her. The last person to burn her was the very person she had to grovel to in order to get the prototype she brought here. Needless to say, it took us some time to gain access because said person is still holding quite the grudge. Pride swallowing can now be added to Lauren's list of amazing skills. I'm sure she would say 'you're welcome' to whatever you're thinking right now about that particular item."

"Fifth, Lauren promised herself she would never date a soldier. They tend to die. Bo has tried to die on her how many times since they met? How would you be holding up with that one?"

"I..." Kenzi began, but Martin shook his head and replied,

"I have to go stand by Lauren. She's probably babbling like an idiot to the Chief. She is in no way mentally equipped to explain this procedure in such a way that he will agree to do it."

"I'll agree." Kenzi replied quickly.

"He has legal rights to say no, Kenzi. We have to convince him first. If we can't, then you'll have to throw yourself at his mercy. You're our ace in the hole. Please let Lauren do this her way first. She wants to hold all of the legal responsibility for this should anything go awry."

"Legal responsibility?" Tamsin asked.

"The Canadian version of our F.D.A. has not approved this device for human use. Hell, it hasn't even been presented for human trials. Actually, that's not even true. It's not even made of human-approved materials. This is a long shot, Kenzi."

She nodded, "I know, but if we do nothing, she dies. We thought we had more time for the transplant."

"Well, this device may now only get her healthy enough to do the transplant. It may not save her kidneys at this point, so don't get too attached to the one you were willing to donate."

"Got it." Kenzi said, raising a finger to the man.

"I'm heading out to see if Lauren needs my help."

They all nodded as Martin left the room to step into the hallway. He moved to stand behind Lauren as she and the Chief reviewed the diagrams she'd created. She pointed at the device as she spoke, answered his questions about the diagram and generally functioned as the professional Martin had grown to love and respect. He stood in awe of how the woman had summoned her full faculties and all of her courage to do the job to her usual superior standards.

He crossed his arms over his chest and grinned, moving to lean against the wall at the end of the counter. The Chief looked up to make eye contact with him for a moment, giving him a quick smile before looking back at Lauren. Finally, the two were silent for a long moment, each staring between the prototype and the diagram before the Chief looked up at Martin,

"I suppose her sister is on board with this?"

Martin nodded, "Won't take no for an answer."

Lauren flipped the page, "I've taken the liberty of creating a handwritten release for you to sign that would protect you should any of us try to sue you. I assure you that Martin and I have made this as airtight as it can be to protect you from any action – Canadian or American. We have even gone so far as to lay all blame on the American Military members who put Bo in this condition to begin with. We think you're protected if you do this."

He nodded, "Well, knowing Miss Malikov as I do now, I think I'm less protected if I do nothing. I now understand where she got the call sign Spitfire."

The two nodded as he signed the page in Lauren's notebook. The blonde handed the book to the Nurse, the page open,

"Can you please make five copies of this page?"

The Nurse nodded while the Chief gave Lauren a confused look. She smiled,

"One for the hospital, one for Bo's file, one for your lawyer, one for me and one for Kenzi."

He nodded and turned to the Nurse, "Can you make an additional copy for my personal records?"

The nurse nodded, turning back to the copier. The Chief turned to Lauren and Martin,

"I guess we'd better get started."

Lauren nodded, "Do you have a team standing by?"

The Chief shook his head, "I'm on my own for this one. I'll not ask any of my people to put their careers on the line for an unsanctioned procedure."

Lauren nodded, "I know it's unethical, but I could assist if you'd like."

He smiled, "I'd appreciate that. Two hands are better than one. Of course, I'm assuming that your Navy S.E.A.L. – call sign Doc, is it – would help?"

She smiled, "He'll scrub in, I'm sure. We can also have Martin scrub in to help with the prototype itself."

"Well then, I think we have our team." The Chief replied, "Let's get things started. We're running out of time."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Hey Sketch. Welcome back to the land of the living."

Lauren wiped her eyes, begging them to focus on the figure across the room. She sat up, recognizing the face and offered a small smile,

"Good Morning, Doc."

Remembering Bo, she quickly turned to see the General lying in the bed. She exhaled a deep breath and relaxed back into the seat, her eyes traveling to the monitors.

"She did well throughout the night. It seems that miracle machine of yours is doing its job." Doc recapped for the blonde.

Lauren looked at the machine mounted to a pole next to Bo's bed, blood flowing into the machine from one tube and back into Bo through another,

"She's still very yellow." Lauren stated.

Doc nodded, "Her liver is still struggling since her blood is still... well, dirty for lack of a better word."

"Septic. You can say the word, Doc. I'm okay." Lauren said, sitting up a bit straighter.

"That word sucks, Sketch."

Lauren nodded, "It does. Her blood pressure is up a bit."

Doc agreed, "Bit and Byte brought this little creation in during the wee hours of the morning."

He pulled back the covers to expose Bo's arms and then uncovered a portion of one leg.

"What are those?"

"It's their version of a stim machine, but better... well, in their opinion. The one they put on Bo is a rebuild of one they currently have on some crowd funding website. They're hoping to make enough money to go to the manufacturing stage."

"How did they build it?" Lauren asked, amazed at the function of the cuffs strapped to Bo's limbs.

"To quote them, 'did you know that hospitals have labs and maintenance departments that have everything a geek could want'?"

Lauren let out a small chuckled, "They're insatiable when it comes to their tech hobbies."

He nodded, watching curiously as Lauren examined the device attached to Bo's thigh, "This is a very unique stim device. Am I correct that these are acupuncture needles layered into the cuffs? Are these needles actually penetrating the muscle tissue?"

Doc smiled, "That's what they say makes the device so unique. They said it hardly hurts at all."

Lauren laughed, "It figures they would try it out on themselves before trying to take it to market."

Doc nodded, "They're two of a kind, those guys."

Lauren sat back, her eyes still scanning the apparatus, "Where are they?"

"They're down visiting Manes. He woke up, you know."

Lauren smiled, "I didn't. That's really good news."

"Conscious is always a step in the right direction. Now if this one would just wake up." He replied, nodding towards Bo.

Lauren shrugged, "It's probably better that she's sleeping."

He nodded, "True. She's probably going to be in a lot of pain."

The two sat silently after that. Each staring at the General, allowing their thoughts to wander independently until Martin entered the room,

"How's our patient?" He asked, placing a hand on Lauren's shoulder.

Laying her hand on his, she shrugged, "Quiet, breathing, better than she was last night?"

He nodded, "The Nurse is offering showers and breakfast if you're interested."

Lauren stood, "A shower is definitely in order as well as removal of the cobwebs on my teeth. Are you going to stay?"

"Of course. I'll be here until you get back."

"Thank you. Doc?"

"I'm going to stay a little while longer. I'm on guard duty soon."

"You're taking shifts?" Lauren asked, surprised.

He shrugged, "Didn't make sense not to. I've got nothing else to do around here."

Did you sleep?" Lauren asked.

"I'm on a night shift schedule. I'll sleep after duty call."

Lauren nodded, "Okay. I'll see you later."

She gave Martin a smile and stepped out of the room, running into the Chief, "Good morning, Doctor Lewis."

"Good morning, Chief."

"I'm pleasantly surprised by the Generals' improvement. I've never seen a recovery progress this quickly from sepsis, especially with kidneys as compromised as Bo's are."

Lauren nodded, "Agreed. What's going on with her liver?"

"The liver was the first organ to decline when we realized she was in sepsis. I wanted to start dialysis immediately, but Kenzi insisted we wait. She was sure you would come through."

Lauren swallowed, "Do you believe waiting compromised her liver?"

He shook his head, "Hard to say, but I am completely sure that dialysis would not have produced this rapid improvement in her condition. The prototype is amazing, Lauren."

She nodded, "It's still a prototype. There are improvements I had hoped to make... mind you... improvements for its use on machines."

"Yes, Martin informed me of the corporate struggles you're having."

"He has an idea of how to take care of those. If so, I'm hoping to get back to work on this. I believe that the hiring of a staff of biomedical engineers may be in order now." She smiled.

"Of course." He smiled, "I suppose you're heading off?"

"Just a quick shower and a bite to eat. Martin and Doc are going to sit with her while I'm gone. I'm sure Kenzi will be back around soon."

"She and Tamsin took off to visit with your man Manes when Doc came in. What a wonderful group of people you have with you."

Lauren smiled, "Well, Martin and I aren't military like they are, but I suppose we've become quite friendly."

"It seems like you've become more like a family to me." The Chief replied.

Looking in Bo's door, she could see Doc and Martin, now talking animatedly about something. She smiled, "Yes, I suppose we are a family. We're a bit dysfunctional, but we certainly look out for each other."

The Chief peered into the room and offered his agreement, "I've never seen a platoon come into the hospital and never leave when hotel rooms were offered."

Lauren turned to the doctor, "Hotel rooms?"

He nodded, "Yes, you have hotel rooms with nice clean sheets, clean clothes and full bathrooms."

"I had no idea."

Laughing, he replied, "See the Nurse. She'll call you a cab and you can go there directly. It's literally just outside the west wing of the hospital."

"Did I hear you say hotel?" Kenzi asked, moving to stand next to the Chief.

Lauren looked at Kenzi, "We each have a room reserved. The hotel is just outside of the west..."

"I heard all of that and I'm totally going there to order a room service breakfast. I've been avoiding using the intern showers again, so I've got at least three days of gross to wash off of my body."

The Chief laughed, "I'm well aware."

"Rage, follow us! We're taking you to paradise!"

"How's Bo?"

The Chief smiled, "She's better. I can't take her off of the critical list yet, but I am cautiously optimistic."

"Well, I think she'll understand then. She's getting her blood cleaned and we're going to get our everything-else cleaned. Come on, Ladies." Kenzi said, waving the two blondes along.

Tamsin looked at Lauren, "What's happening?"

"We're following Kenzi. I'll explain on the way. Thank you, Chief."

"You're welcome. I'll spread the word about the available service." He added.

Lauren gave a wave as she turned to follow Kenzi. She was looking forward to washing these two weeks away.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Lauren rolled over to find the sun rising in the window of her hotel room. She realized she had never closed the blinds before lying down on the bed last night. Wait... last night? That was yesterday morning and now the sun was rising?

"Shit."

She said, running for the bathroom, "Pee, brush, shower, dry hair, dress... wait... pee, call room service, then shower, dry hair, dress and get to Bo's room. Shit. Just what I need is another excuse for Kenzi to think I don't give a shit about her sister."

She ran to the phone, "Yes, room service? I'd like two cups of coffee, black, a spinach omelet with a side of fresh fruit and a bottle of water. How long will that take? Fifteen minutes? Perfect. Thank you."

She looked at the clock and then rushed back into the bathroom, "Brush, shower, dry hair, dress, eat, see Bo, ignore Kenzi."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Walking as fast as her feet would carry her, Lauren entered the hospital, thoughts of Kenzi screaming in her face dancing through her head. She hit the elevator button and rocked back and forth, waiting what felt like an eternity for the lift to reach the basement floor where she waited. The familiar ding sounded and she boarded, hitting the five button and then repeatedly hitting the button to close the doors,

"HOLD THAT ELEVATOR!"

A hand was inserted between the two doors, causing Lauren to roll her eyes until the doors open and her friend stepped aboard,

"Wow. Can't hold the door for your best friend? I'm utterly insulted."

"Martin, I didn't know it was you."

"I certainly hope not." He replied, "Where've you been?"

"Don't start with me. I'm already expecting the third degree from Kenzi."

"What do you care what she thinks?"

"She's Bo's sister, Martin."

"So what? She's not Bo."

"I asked Bo for a little time and space, she told Kenzi so neither of them trust my feelings for Bo right now."

"Might I remind you that even you don't trust your feelings right now, Lauren."

"I know, but they don't have to know that."

"Yes, they do, Lauren. Don't let anyone pressure you into something you're not ready to commit to, remember?"

Lauren sighed, "I remember. But..."

"You hate disappointing people, Lauren. You hate hurting people. But that is not the right reason to get involved in a relationship."

"Right." Lauren nodded, stepping off the elevator ahead of her friend and rushing down the hallway.

"Lauren, slow down." When she didn't respond, he rushed to catch up to her, gripped her elbow and pulled her to a stop, "Stop. Just... just stop it!"

"Stop what?" She said, spinning into his arms, tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Hey, hey. What's all of this?"

Lauren shook her head, burying her face in her friends' chest, "I don't know. I just... this is just so hard."

"What's hard?" He asked, wrapping his arms around her.

"Being afraid." She replied softly.

"Afraid of what?" Martin asked.

"Afraid of losing Bo. Afraid of hurting Bo. Afraid of disappointing people...and Bo. Afraid of failing Bo. Afraid of Bo waking up and wanting to fly jets again. Afraid of Bo waking up and not being able to fly jets again. Afraid of how she'll change if she's riding a desk. Afraid of how I'll feel if she goes back up there again. I'm just... I'm paralyzed by fear and I don't know how I got here, Martin."

Martin nodded, "You love her."

She pulled back, lightly pounding her fists on his chest, "I love her."

"And it scares you. You're afraid that what happened with Jeannette will happen with Bo."

"I couldn't do anything right. I failed her."

Martin pushed Lauren back, gripping her shoulders, "You didn't fail her, Lauren. Jeannette is a product of her own making. She wanted you to change to meet her needs instead of accepting you for who you are. Bo isn't Jeannette, Lauren. She has seen you at your absolute worst and still loves you for it. As for her flying jets again, you do notice that you haven't left her side despite watching her near death several times these last months. You read her file many times over before the two of you met and you still allowed yourself to fall in love with her."

"As if my heart gave me a choice."

He laughed, "Lauren, you and I both know that if choice had anything to do with this, you would be calling her a dumb jet jock who has more muscle than brain. You'd be insulting her at every turn instead of being impressed. She's smart, she's respectful and she cares about people. The part of her that's a pilot is a machine that flips a switch and does her job from the heart. The part of her that's human respects life and will do anything to support and help those lives... from the heart. You're cut from the same cloth despite what people perceive as your many differences."

She nodded before Martin added, "So what do you say you stop worrying about what everyone else thinks and just worry about what Bo thinks. After all, this is about the two of you – not any of us."

He pulled her in for another hug, "Now, go check on your girl. I'll be right beside you to set anyone straight who gives you a hard time."

"Thank you."

"Any time." He replied, following her into Bo's room.

Despite the pep talk, Lauren still entered cautiously, surprised to find Kenzi asleep in the chair by Bo's bedside. She quietly sat down, pulling the chart from the bed and taking a moment to check the monitors before looking down at Bo. Her color was better and her vital signs, especially her blood pressure, were almost normal. She looked through the chart, noting the numbers next to her most recent blood panel and smiled,

"I can't believe the improvement." She whispered, "Her liver enzymes are still not where they should be."

"Is that bad?" Martin asked.

Lauren shrugged, "Her liver is in bad shape, so I suppose you could say the numbers are good, all things considered. The laceration from the bomb hasn't had a chance to fully heal yet since the organ was placed under such incredible strain in its injured state. Time will tell."

Martin nodded, "Well, I guess that's all good though, yes?"

Lauren smiled, "Yes. It's good news."

"I'm a little concerned about the need to change the filtration screen. What are your thoughts?"

Lauren shook her head, "I don't think we can stop the machine at this point."

"But it's running continuously, Lauren. If it shuts down because of a clog..."

She nodded, "You're right. I just..."

"I know. You're afraid to shut it down because of the toxins getting trapped in her organs again, but..."

"No, Martin. We have to disconnect it before we shut it down, otherwise, the blood has nowhere to go."

He shook his head, "Connect the two tubes to each other and they become the vessel."

She looked at him, considering his idea, "How do we do that without losing a pint of blood or more. Blood out of an artery is like water from a fire hose."

Martin looked up at the monitor, "Not if we give her a medication that will lower that pressure for a very short time."

Lauren again considered his idea, "You do realize we like her blood pressure being on the higher side so that she's getting more oxygen, right?"

"She won't be completely deprived and it won't be for long if all goes well." Martin replied, "Without changing the filter, we're probably already close to when the filter will clog and she'll her saturation rates will decrease anyway."

Lauren sighed, "Tell the Chief and I'll prep the area. I don't want to move her if we don't have to. We can create a sterile field here to do this."

Nodding, he got up and left the room. She moved her hand to cover Bo's, her fingers grazing the lightly yellowed skin,

"Please live, Bo." She said, her eyes brimming with tears, "I've figured some things out... things I want to tell you... stories I think I can finally tell you so you'll understand... I... just... just please live. You see... I think I've known it all along... I was... I was so afraid... I was... I'm not... I'm not a soldier... not like you. I can fight battles of the mind but... I've seen the limits of the human body. A human can't take what you push your body to do and... Gods, I've seen so much death... I couldn't bear the thought of you... Gods, please don't make me watch you die. You see... I love you... I love you Bo and if you die now, I'll never get to tell you. Please don't die. Please fight... keep fighting like you always do... make your body do those superhuman things and I'll fight in every way I can. See... we're the perfect team for the job just... don't die. I need to tell you... I need to say..."

She leaned down and kissed her pilots' fingertips, before laying her head on the back of her hand. She missed her smile and the twinkle in her eye when she laughed. She missed her strength and her passion for life. She missed the cocky grin on her face as she approached her jet when she was checking her plane before take off. She missed her energy... her fire. She missed the stories of the infamous Stick and Rage. She missed their conversations about what they would do when all of this was over... and she wished for just one date night in the real world... the normal world... would she ever know normal?

She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, all the while unaware of the pair standing in the doorway.

Tamsin wiped a tear from her eye, "She loves her, Kenz. She really, really loves her."

"Yea. I guess I should do that back off thing."

"Stick would appreciate that."

"Yea. I guess she would."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

' _What are they doing? What's that machine connected to my... hells, what's it connected to? Geezus, Lauren did you make me bionic? She looks like she's been crying... has she been crying? She's looking at me. She's beautiful, even with tears streaming down her face. Chief looks like he's panicking and Martin... fuck, what's Martin doing? He's not a doctor. Lauren, why is Martin doing surgery on me... on my machine parts? What's going on? Why won't you answer me? Why is everyone just looking at me and not talking back? Wait a second... I can't feel my body... I can't... are my eyes open? Why aren't my hands on my eyes? Oh shit! You've finally done it Dennis! You've finally written a check your body couldn't cash. You went and got yourself dead and just when you had a chance with the most beautiful mind and body pairing to ever exist on the face of the planet._

 _She's panicking. She's yelling at me. Her hands are on my shoulders and she's shaking me. I can see it but I can't feel it. What the hell. Kenzi? Rage? What the fuck is happening? If I'm dead, you wouldn't be talking to me. Oh shit! I'm in a coma and they think I'm dead! I'm not dead! I'm right here! Oh shit, I have that fucking Living Will! Don't pull the plug. Don't pull the plug! Please don't pull the fucking plug! I'm here! I'm right here! Oh shit oh shit oh shit! If I survive this, I'm tearing that fucking thing up!_

 _What's the Chief saying? They're all talking. Kenzi's crying. Kenzi never fucking cries. What the hell! What are you telling her? I'm alive! Don't you dare tell her to pull the plug! Okay... I just need to calm down. I need to calm the fuck down and think. Think, Bo. Think. How do you get their attention. They clearly can't hear a word you're saying. Wait... am I actually talking or am I just thinking what I'm thinking I'm talking? Shit! Okay. No panic. Just... think. Get a signal to Lauren. She won't let them pull the plug. She wants me to live, right? Shit! She wants her time and space! What if this is all too much for her! Lauren, I swear I'll never get in a jet again! I'll take a desk job! I swear! Wait... do I really swear that? Thank the Gods she can't hear me right now. I take it back... do I? Actually, I think I would... Lauren, I would do anything you needed to have a shot at a life with you. I never thought I would meet someone who made me want to be with them more than with my jet but... there you are, looking at me and... I want this. I want us – more than anything._

 _How can I tell you that I'm here? Don't hang your head, baby. We're not done yet. I'm here. Please don't give up. Please, please, please don't give up. If my eyes really are open – and they must be unless I've developed the super power to look through my eyelids – then I'm still here. Wait – can I close my eyes? Boom – they're all gone! I can open and close my eyes! Yes! Look! Look up, Lauren! I'm blinking! Look! Who can see me? Martin? Chief? Lauren? Rage? Kenzi! Specter! You'll see me! Come on, big guy! Look over here! Ignore those morons! Look! Yes! Look! Yea, that's it ya big lug! You see it! Blinky, blinky, winky, winky! Tell Lauren! Tell her! Yea, that's it! That's right baby! Look! Oh, thank Gods._

"Chief! She's blinking! Look!" Lauren shouted.

Everyone turned to see Bo's eyes opening and closing rapidly as Lauren leaned in more closely,

"Martin, is that machine running again?" She asked.

"You've got it, Boss. All back together and working at 100% efficiency."

The Chief shook his head, "We've got some catching up to do. She lost a lot of blood in that transition. Nurse..."

"I'm on it Chief." She replied, before heading out of the room to get a bag of blood to add to Bo's I.V. pole.

"Lauren, she may not be..."

"She is." Lauren said, wiping her face, "Bo? Bo can you hear me? Bo if you can hear me, blink once and only once."

Kenzi replied, "She's still blinking like a crazy woman."

"She doesn't know to blink only once. Smart move, Sketch." Tamsin said, "I got an idea. We do this in our jets when we're radio silent. I'll be right back."

Tamsin ran out of the room, returning quickly with a clipboard, paper and marker. She wrote on the page and held it up to Bo. Everyone watched as the brunette stopped blinking, her eyes tracking back and forth across the page before blinking one time.

Lauren read the page to herself and recognized that Bo had accurately read and answered Tamsin's question and instructions,

"Okay, so she can process information..."

"Lauren..."

"No Chief, she can read what Tamsin wrote." Lauren took the clipboard and held it up to the Chief, reading the text aloud,

"Bo, one blink is no, two blinks is yes. Can you hear us?" Lauren handed the clipboard back to Tamsin, "She read and understood what Tamsin asked her. If she hadn't, she would still be blinking rapidly as she was. You saw her eyes track across the lines of text. That is higher brain function."

The blonde turned and looked adoringly at Bo, "She's in there. She is still in there. The higher functions are present which means there is hope for the rest of her. If nothing else happens, she is still very much aware and with us." She turned back to the Chief, "So if your intent is to go into negative Nelly mode, we'll respectfully ask for someone else to take over the Generals' case, however, I believe that when we first arrived, you told us that you were told to make her survival your highest priority."

Kenzi folded her arms across her chest and extended a leg, striking a suspicious pose, "Change sides, lately, Chief?"

"What?" He asked as all eyes turned to him.

"It wouldn't be the first time we had a traitor in our midst. We know that the Tops can infiltrate our numbers anywhere they want. Now that we're stationary and on a military grid – even though it's not American – it would make sense that they could target us again. I know you don't know much about our case, but let's just say that it's built on witnesses and – suspiciously – a good chunk of them are still in your hospital beds."

"I swear, my loyalties lie with you and your platoon. Manes... look at Manes. He's improving."

"But our key witness – the one you were told to make your highest priority – took a turn for the worse on your watch, Doc." Kenzi replied.

"I've done everything humanly possible! I swear!"

Lauren placed a hand on Kenzi's arm, "He has, Kenzi." She turned to the Chief, "I think he just got a little tired."

Chief nodded, "You must understand that people in your sisters' condition just don't... well, I can't tell you when someone with her injuries, two failing kidneys, a damaged heart and an overly taxed liver... well, actually I've never had anyone make it this far let alone survive."

Kenzi nodded, "Yea, well you need to change that tune, Doc. We told you when she came in that she is not like most soldiers. She'll survive as long as you don't give up."

The Chief nodded, "Yes, Ma'am."

"Okay. That's more like it. So what now?" Kenzi asked.

The Chief took Lauren's clipboard and wrote, "I'm asking Bo if she can feel anything."

They all turned and watched Bo read the board. It was an agonizing reply.

"One blink." Lauren sighed, her eyes welling with tears before she wrote on the clipboard,

' _Do you want the truth?'_

Bo blinked twice.

' _Not good that you can't feel anything.'_

Bo's eyes filled with tears causing Lauren to smile as she wrote,

' _But good that you can cry. Do you want me to explain?'_

Two blinks.

Lauren sat, trying to gather her thoughts. Tamsin sat down on the opposite side of Bo taking the clipboard from Lauren who tried to hold onto it. Tamsin shook her head,

"Uh-uh, Doc. You dictate, I'll write. You have doctor chicken scratch. She'll barely be able to read it. Keep it simple, Doc. Truth with a touch of optimism. She needs the will to fight."

"Right." Lauren said, looking up at her General.

"You are aware your kidneys were failing."

Two blinks.

"You needed dialysis but Kenzi asked them to wait for me."

Two blinks.

"They did and I was late."

Two blinks.

"I'm sorry."

One blink.

Lauren looked at her for a long while before she continued,

"This machine is the prototype I brought. It worked."

Lots of blinks.

Kenzi laughed, "Wow, Sketch. You've turned my sister into a friggin' cheerleader."

A small round of laughter filled the room. Lauren smiled, seeing a familiar light in Bo's eyes.

"You're smiling in there."

Many blinks.

"I like when your eyes smile."

Two blinks and a shared glance.

"The machine was operating at less than 50% because the filter was clogged."

Two blinks.

"We had to change the filter which meant disconnecting you from the machine."

Two blinks.

"In reattaching you, one of your blood vessels ruptured."

Two blinks.

"We fixed it, but you lost a lot of blood."

Two blinks.

"Your heart stopped again. Less oxygen to the brain."

Two blinks.

"More brain damage was a concern."

Two blinks.

"This may all be temporary."

Two blinks.

"Maybe not."

Tears filled Bo's eyes before she blinked once... then a second time confirming she understood.

"We'll know more in a few days."

Two blinks.

"Give your brain time to heal."

Two blinks.

"Do you see these wraps on your arms and legs?"

Two blinks before Lauren unwrapped the one on her upper arm and turned it inside out so Bo could see the tiny needles,

"Bit and Byte's invention to avoid muscle atrophy."

"How do you spell atrophy?" Tamsin asked.

Lauren took the marker and wrote the word for her before turning back to see Bo blink twice.

"They've developed one for your head."

Bo's eyes remained fixed,

"I know. Makes me nervous too."

Bo blinked twice.

Lauren sighed, "If we don't see movement in three days..."

She waited for Bo to read and make eye contact with her again before she finished,

"Are you willing to let them try their device?"

Bo did not respond, so Lauren told her more.

"I would liken their device to mild electroshock therapy."

Bo blinked once, but Lauren shook her head,

"But instead of it encompassing the entire brain, it would be a targeted therapy centered on specific areas of the motor cortex."

"That's brilliant." Chief declared, "That's truly brilliant. How do they know..."

Lauren turned to the Chief, "They're supposed to be in the conference room in about an hour with their prototype."

"They have a prototype already?"

Lauren smiled, "Actually, they rebuilt the prototype for Bo's muscles from the prototype they'd already built for what they call the Neurolink. It's a device they developed for a friend of theirs. He's a soldier who was paralyzed in Afghanistan. They met him at the Invictus Games and got to talking about his mobility... well, I guess they've been working together with the Neurolink ever since."

"What's his condition?" Chief asked.

Lauren shrugged, "Honestly, I don't know. What I do know is that his doctors had said there was nothing else they could do for him. They'd sent him to PT, OT and then gave him a wheelchair. He wasn't ready to give up when he met our guys. Bit and Byte heard his story and the story of thousands of Vets just like him and set out to fix the problem as if it were a laptop that had a virus. All three of them are coming in to meet with you about his progress since using the device. His progress must be exceptional because they told me we would all be 'gobsmacked'."

"Whatever that means." Kenzi interjected.

Lauren turned back to Bo to see her blinking wildly. She looked at Tamsin who was holding up a page with everything she'd been explaining to the Chief.

"I'm very good at taking dictation." Tamsin smiled, "My Aunt told me to enlist in the military because I had exceptional secretarial skills."

"Secretarial..." Kenzi laughed, but Tamsin continued,

"Yea, can you imagine? Don't blame Auntie. She didn't know that women could fly jets. She thought we just put on nice uniforms and sat cross-legged taking notes from Generals."

Again, a collective laugh spread through the room. Lauren turned to Bo, smiling but the General's eyes held a sadness that broke Lauren's heart. She gripped the clipboard and wrote a quick summary of what was happening in the room for Bo,

' _Tamsin's Aunt told her to join the military to become a secretary!'_

The brunette's eyes traveled to Tamsin's and blinked twice before she looked back at Lauren, who cupped her face,

"There are the smiling eyes I've been looking for," Lauren grinned, before writing to Bo,

' _I'm going to go check on Bit and Byte to help them in any way I can. I promise I'll be back soon.'_

One blink.

Lauren sighed, giving her a sympathetic smile as she wrote,

' _The sooner I go, the sooner I'll be back.'_

Bo released a heavy sigh before giving her two blinks.

Martin leaned down and whispered in Lauren's ear, "Give her something to fight for, my friend."

Lauren looked up at her friend who gave Bo a wave and exited the room. Her pen hung over the page before she wrote quickly and held the page up to the brunette,

' _Please say you'll fight. Tell me you'll fight for yourself. Tell me you'll fight for me. Tell me you'll fight for us. I love you, Bo. Please be the fighter I fell in love with.'_

Again, Bo's eyes flooded with tears as she blinked rapidly. Lauren cupped her face and thumbed the wet trails away before placing a light kiss on her pilot's lips. Pulling back, she looked into the deep brown eyes before kissing her once more. Giving her a smile, she turned and handed the clipboard back to Tamsin.

"A word ladies?" Lauren asked.

The pair nodded before stepping to the other side of the room while the Chief and Martin stepped toward the bed. The Chief looked to Bo,

"We have dry erase boards. They might be easier. Of course, you'll have to write in shorter sentences."

Bo gave him a questioning look, so Martin wrote it down on a piece of paper bedding and showed her.

Meanwhile, Kenzi and Tamsin stood with Lauren, who spoke quickly,

"We really need to remember to include Bo in the conversations if she is awake and watching. There's nothing worse than being excluded from a conversation that may or may not be about you. It's even worse to be unaware of why the people you care most about in the world are happy or sad. When you're in this room, be fully present and here for Bo. Otherwise, don't be in this room."

Kenzi leaned over and whispered to Tamsin, "Who made her boss?"

Tamsin smiled, throwing her head towards towards Bo, "Your sister did."

Out of the corner of her eye, Lauren noticed the Nurse handing Martin a dry erase board. She stepped back towards the bed, smiling at Bo before she looked up at the Chief,

"Excuse me, Chief? I hate to keep interrupting your plan for your patient, but I did a pretty long stint in a V.A. hospital and dry erase boards were not used often on patients who were making progress."

"Really? I thought that was standard practice in O.T. facilities." The Chief replied.

"Short sentences won't give her brain the exercise it requires. Of course, if she's tired, they are appropriate, but she does have to do some work. That would include, a magazine rack so we can let her read articles, and longhand messages to create more dialogue between visitor and patient. She has a very active mind. We haven't known each other long, but I do know that right now, she's frustrated by losing her voice more than anything."

She turned back to Bo, writing in the notebook as she spoke the words aloud for the benefit of everyone in the room,

"I'm just telling the Chief that I want to make sure you read and write – once you're able - as much as possible. You need to exercise that brain of yours. I also told them to make sure you are included in every conversation so you can still speak your mind. It's tough on a General to lose their voice considering you're used to giving all of the orders, right? I'm sorry if that's really frustrating for you, Bo."

Lauren watched as Bo finished reading. When the General replied with many blinks and a wink, the blonde leaned down and kissed her forehead. When she pulled back, Lauren mouthed the words, 'see you soon'. Bo replied with two blinks before she watched Lauren exit the room. The brunette then looked around the room, panic in her eyes as everyone started to leave. Tamsin held up the clipboard in front of Bo who frantically read the words on the page before giving a sigh of relief,

' _I'm staying, Stick. Kenzi is going to go get the two of us food and then she'll be back. Sorry, you're stuck with I.V. bagged food. Specter has to go on duty again. Everyone is taking turns guarding our people even though we all feel relatively safe on foreign soil. We're not taking any chances. Do you want to talk some more or do you want to rest for a bit?'_

Bo blinked once.

' _Okay. Blink a bunch of times if you change your mind, otherwise I'm going to turn on the T.V. and put on that closed caption setting so you know what they're saying. You can watch or close your eyes and rest. Let's see what normal people are watching. Blink fast if you see something you want to watch.'_

Bo looked up at the screen, reading the list in the guide. She didn't have to blink even once when the movie Top Gun was highlighted. Her friend turned to her and nodded. Bo blinked several times in reply before Tamsin set the channel and settings, before she sat back in the chair next to Bo's bed.

It was a few minutes before Tamsin chanced a glance at her friend and noticed several tears trailing from the corner of her eye. She could see the moisture trailing from her nose and knew that wasn't good considering she wasn't breathing on her own. She hit the call button and quickly scribbled out several notes, allowing Bo to read each...

' _Okay, Stick... this situation sucks, but like Lauren said, you've got to fight. So, you're going to stay calm and watch Top Gun with your buddy Rage just like we've done probably a thousand times by now. Tears will just clog up your tubes, so buck up. Right?'_

Two blinks.

' _By the time the movie is over and you've had a little nap, Lauren will probably be dragging Bit and Byte in here to explain their machine. So, let's do the calm and casual thing now, keeping in mind that we're still alive. Good thing, right?_

Two blinks.

' _Focus on the next mission. Top Gun, nap, we get back your hearing, then your speech... well, I'm not picky about the order, but I sure would like to be able to talk to you again. After that, we'll apparently have to tackle the whole feeling and walking thing. Of course, all of it may just come back in the next three days without needing anything. Wouldn't that be nice?'_

Two blinks.

 _Okay, so mission name... I need a mission name... something short and sweet... Lauren.'_

Bo's eyes lit up as she blinked twice.

' _Yea, I thought you'd like that. Biggest mission of your life.'_

Two blinks.

Both women turned back to the movie, their focus renewed.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Lauren and the Chief entered the conference room expecting it to be empty, but instead found Martin, Bit, Byte and another man all standing and talking around the table.

"Martin?" Lauren asked.

Her friend turned, waving her into the room, "Oh, Lauren. They're early! You both know Bit and Byte. This is Major Bradley Hampton."

Lauren and the Chief looked at each other before looking back at the Major, then to Martin again, "So, the patient you've been working with couldn't attend? We'd hoped to examine him before we tried the procedure."

The Major smiled, looking down at his body as he moved his hands over his chest and abdomen, "Uh... I feel like I'm here." He turned to Bit and Byte, "I'm here, guys, right? I mean... I'm not dreaming this, right? I'm alive and in this room?"

Bit and Byte laughed as Lauren's eyes went wide. When she finally found her words again, she began,

"Wait. You mean that you're the..."

Bit spoke, "Doctor Lewis, this is the Veteran that we've been working with. Please, sit and we'll explain."

Everyone took a seat around the table, watching as the Major remained standing, "You'll excuse me if I remain standing. Transitioning is not as simple for me as it is for those who still have a fully intact nervous system."

Byte explained, "He means he has the prosthetics on that have locked knees."

Lauren and the Chief were confused at best as they turned their attention to Bit, who began to explain,

"Brad is wearing a pair of our prototype NeuroLink Wraps with a pair of titanium braces that keep his knees from fully locking. There is a continual electrical current being sent to the area of the motor cortex that controls his legs, allowing him to contract the muscles and remain balanced as long as his knees don't lock."

Byte unzipped Brad's pants at the side, showing Lauren and the Chief the equipment applied to his legs,

"It's really a very simple concept that allows him to function in the real world. To play sports, he is still a wheelchair athlete since these babies do not permit him to run, jump or function with any real agility. He can walk forward and backward which Bit can't do most of the time on two good legs."

"Totally unnecessary, Dude." Bit replied.

"Brad's still working on his ability to walk from side to side, but he's doing pretty well with balancing in place as you can see."

"Of course, if I stand in one place for two long, I will go down. That's why I'm leaning against a wall right now. I'm not merely trying to look casual or cool." Bradley joked.

"What happens without the devices on his legs?" Lauren asked.

Brad smiled, "At this point, I can perform twenty-two straight leg lifts on my own. I cannot get myself to a stand on my own, but once standing, I can balance for twenty-seven minutes and twenty-two seconds now. I am also just about able to make a full lap around a quarter mile track. I'm not breaking any land records doing it, but when you consider I was confined to a wheelchair for three years before these guys got hold of me, I'd say I'm the paralyzed vet equivalent of _The Flash_."

"Guys, this is... I mean... this is... unprecedented." Lauren replied, her eyes set on the devices now laid before her on the conference room table, "Same acupuncture-style design."

Byte nodded, "Regular electric stimulation machines work _through_ the skin to trigger the muscles' neurons as a whole. This reaches in and triggers specific nerve pathways, forcing the electrical signals to travel back and forth..."

The Chief nodded, "So it's just like targeted Neurotherapy."

Both men shook their heads, "Nah, they tried that three years ago. What we did was use a QEEG to map his brain and find the areas that were not responding as they did in a normal person capable of mobility."

"What he actually means is that he mapped my brain first, then Brad's." Bit replied, leading Lauren to chuckle.

The two were fun to work with. They were a true team in every sense of the word, reminding her a little of how she and Quinn used to work together before Martin assumed his Husband's mantle.

Byte continued, "This goes way beyond the targeted Neurotherapy that most people think of as biofeedback where they use a simple EEG. This is like when you're in a basketball game and your legs are done, so you call for a sub who comes in to play for you. The machine is like Brad's sub for the pathways of his motor cortex. They do the job and sort of tutor the old pathways to start doing their job again."

The Chief replied, "Sounds very hypothetical."

Bradley laughed, "You can say that if you want, Doc but I was in a chair for three years and you just looked me in the eye man-to-man. There's nothing hypothetical about getting my dignity back... not to mention my uniform. I'm riding a desk, but at least I can go back to active duty again."

"You're back on active duty?" Lauren asked.

"I start in two weeks. Like I said, I'm riding a desk, but I'm behind the mic leading platoons through their missions from the satellite console. I feel useful again." Brad replied honestly.

"Wow. That's an amazing recovery." Lauren replied.

"Still sounds hypothetical. How can this help your General?" The Chief asked.

Byte explained, "Martin explained her condition to us and then we talked to that Nurse Kratchet."

"I don't know a Nurse by that name." The Chief replied as Lauren chuckled at Bit's wink.

"I believe they're referring to Amanda... sir." Lauren replied, holding back her laughter and deferring the conversation from the topic of the Nurses' nickname, "So how do you believe you can help Stick?"

"Well, Stick is better off than Brad here. She's still really early in her condition and the way we see it, her nerves are all working and her spinal cord is fully intact. Her problem is that her brain cells got killed off and need juicing. You know, like a plant needs water and sun, Stick's brain needs electric and training."

Byte added, "Like jumping a car... sort of."

"So you want to start working with Bo now?" Lauren asked.

"We think the sooner the better." Bit replied.

Byte nodded, "If we wait, her brain cells just sit there not getting any oxygen. If we super juice her brain on the O-2 and give her a jolt in the right pathways, we may just wake up the nerves."

"Or you may just trigger a mass shutdown of her entire electrical system." The Chief argued.

"All due respect, Sir, Martin here tells us she's got nothing but eyelids working right now, but she knows everything that's happening. Can you imagine being trapped like a prisoner in your own body? Picture the tiniest room you can possibly imagine. You can't move, you can't hear and you can't call for help."

Bit added, "If we think that your way – the way most Doc's have thought for decades - she's doomed to end up like the rest of the patients like her. Compared to Spitfire, Rage and Papa, we haven't know Stick as long, but we do know her better than you do, Chief. We're telling you that there's no way she would want to live that way. She'd spend the rest of her days wishing she'd signed that DNR you offered her."

Lauren turned to the Chief, "You offered her a DNR?"

"Standard procedure in Canada, Doctor."

She shook her head, "Kenzi should have been told."

The Chief disagreed, "The patient was still conscious and able to make decisions on her own."

Bit could see Lauren's face redden, her jaw tighten and her fists clench, so he intervened, "Regardless, speaking in the now, the men and women of her platoon are in agreement that she would want to try something rather than just lay there."

Byte finished for his partner, "Every single one of us have seen this before with someone we've known. What we haven't seen is someone walk again... until Brad. We're telling you that Stick will spend the next forty or fifty years living like she is now – less probably, since she'll atrophy and then run into stuff like heart hypertrophy, posture issues which will hinder organ function and eventually lung problems."

Lauren shuddered at the thought, leading Martin to place a comforting hand on her folded fists. They shared a glance before they turned to Bit, who finally laid out their bottom line,

"Look, Spitfire tells us she will not adjust well to life in a chair... not that anyone does... and she knows her sister best. We think that with our way, we wake up as many of her old functions as possible - maybe all of them - but we've gotta start a-sap. The longer those nerves are dormant, the harder it will be to recover their function - in our experience."

"In your limited experience." He turned to the blonde, "Lauren, you can't seriously be considering this. These guys are not doctors and I'm not sure what their experience actually is! Traditional practices would indicate that there is still a chance her functions will wake up on their own in three days time. What's the harm in waiting to allow her body to heal at its own pace?"

Lauren looked up at the Chief, "First, there is nothing traditional about this case. Bo has broken every expectation every step of the way. Second, if we wait and nothing happens, she's exactly where Bradley was three years ago when the doctors gave up on him and while there is no evidence to prove that starting early will help more than waiting, there is plenty of evidence to prove that waiting without result can bring about the worst possible result."

She felt the bile come up in her throat at the thought of Bo being paralyzed for the rest of her life, unable to do anything but blink and she shuddered. She wouldn't last two years in that condition. She needed to focus and sell the Chief on this procedure or she would pull the plug and fly everyone to her lab in Switzerland under the cover of darkness to bring Bo back. She turned to the Chief,

"Third, Bo had full movement prior to sepsis. There is no trauma to her physical pathways. Fourth, she had been in oxygen deprivation before and after her cardiac complications and there were no physical side effects from those events leading us to the logical conclusion that her current situation is due to the most recent incident of oxygen loss. Finally, with all of that information, it is safe to assume that the damage is currently very fresh and therefore, at its peak opportunity for reversal."

Bit replied, "I agree."

Byte replied, "I agree too."

Bradley added, "I'm not doctor, but it sounds reasonable based on my personal experience as well as the guys that have been in my shoes... so to speak."

Martin nodded, "I concur."

Heads turned to another voice, "My say is Bo's say and she says we go. That decision is final. Prep your equipment, guys."

Lauren stood, "Bo spoke?"

Kenzi winked at Martin and waved the boys to follow her as she left the room. Lauren turned to Martin who was the only one who remained. He waved her phone at his friend, as he explained,

"Bo decided she wanted in on the meeting. She felt that if they were going to talk about her, she had a right to know what was being said. I called Kenzi and put the meeting on speakerphone. Tamsin used her phone to pick up a readable version on Google Translate for Bo."

Lauren nodded, "So Bo blinked yes to the procedure."

Martin nodded, offering a smile, "In the hour that we have been gone from the room, Bo has regained the use of her right index finger. She sent you two texts with Tamsin's help. Check your phone."

Lauren opened her phone and smiled, tears filling her eyes as she read the first message,

' _I jump, you jump. Let's do this.'_

The second text read, _'I love you too.'_

The blonde typed out a quick reply before standing and wiping her face, "Let's get to it, gentleman. Chief, I believe you are about to be schooled by the tech prowess of these gentlemen once again."

"Doctor Lewis, this is highly unorthodox..." The Chief began, but Lauren cut him off.

"I'll write another waiver if you'd like, but your patient is conscious and I believe this would fall under the category of C.A.M.S., do you understand?"

"I'm familiar with the term."

"While I'm not all that familiar with Canadian medical laws, I do believe you cannot stop Bo from taking this step, nor do we need your help in providing the treatment."

She turned to walk out, but stopped and turned back, "But if you try to stop us, I will take Bo from this hospital and have the procedure done elsewhere."

She turned and walked from the room, not bothering to wait for his reply. She was tired of his negative attitude and insistence on practicing medicine with no vision. Martin waited for Lauren to be out of hearing range before he spoke,

"I, on the other hand, did take the liberty of asking about the legalities of Complementary and Alternative Medicines in Canada and it would seem the doctor is correct. I'm sure this may be considered a stretch as a C.A.M., but since time is of the essence and the patient is willing to take the risk, I believe we'll be moving forward. Feel free to avoid the patient's room if you do not wish to be associated with a treatment you do not agree with, Chief."

Martin turned and exited the room, leaving the Chief standing at the table. He shook his head, "Crazy Americans."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Three Weeks Later, Special Session of a Joint Military Court, Quebec, Canada**_

The announcement drew the attention of everyone present,

"All rise. The Honorable Judge Anthony Carmichael, Judge Advocate General, presiding."

The judge looked over the top of his reading glasses to eye the large box of accused who sat in full military dress. Mumbles could be heard between the mass of legal counsel present while the accused whispered amongst themselves while straightening their ties and their postures.

He then turned to the jury,

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, this bench recognizes your return to service and thanks you for honoring your oath of office despite being in the twilight of your lives. We also offer our apologies for the abrupt nature in which you were summoned to serve, but we assure you it was necessary. We promise we will make these proceedings as rapid as possible while still seeing justice done. We have kept you in the dark about why you have been called here for your own protection and to prevent prejudice."

 _Standing in the hallway, his nose pressed to the crack in the doorway, Stevie's eyes went wide before he whispered to Bud, "Dude, that guy's Crazy Cameron! He used to defuse bombs back in the Korean War without any gear on! He's a legend! They say he only has three fingers on each hand."_

 _Bud took a peek and replied, "No way!"_

" _Shut it, Airmen. Show some damn respect." Specter leaned in, putting a stop to the whispers of his platoon before giving his attention to the sound of the Judge's voice once again,_

"As you may have concluded by now, you represent the finest surviving members of all branches of our retired military. We trust that you will understand the need for your presence as we proceed. You were selected specifically for your lack of attachment to anyone involved in this case. Again, on behalf of the entire bench seated with me, we thank you for honoring the call to duty as well as for your patience."

The judge continued, "Will the military guard please escort the witnesses into the courtroom."

"Let's go." Specter said, giving a nod to Stevie and Bud.

The pair stayed behind the guard as directed, walking in cadence with their unit following closely behind. All eyes in the courtroom watched the procession of military personnel entering the room until they were each in the witness box. They all remained standing at their seats, facing the rear of the court leading the judge to speak,

"Soldiers, about face and take your seats."

Specter spoke, "With all due respect, your honor, there are still two more witnesses."

"And how long will I be expected to await the arrival of our tardy soldiers?"

"Just a moment longer, Sir."

"This court is not in the habit of waiting for soldiers who are not up to arriving as requested by their superiors, Colonel. Explain."

"Sir..." Specter began, but the courtroom door opened, revealing the tardy soldier escorted by a civilian. The General's head was held high, eyes on the judge, as she placed one foot in front of the other using a cane on each side for support as she walked. As she reached the gate, Stevie was waiting to swing it open, popping a salute to his superior,

"General Dennis."

"Airman Rodgers." Bo passed the cane in her right hand to her left and returned the salute before continuing forward to stand with the rest of the group.

Lauren followed behind, locking the gate and coming to stand beside Bo.

Specter turned to the judge, "Sir, all witnesses present and accounted for, Sir."

The judge stared at Bo who finally spoke, "Your honor, my apologies. While I am usually in the habit of leading my platoon into battle, recent events have found me... bringing up the rear as it were."

The judge flipped a page back and forth before he spoke, "The court had been informed that you were unable to hear, speak or walk, General Dennis. We are both surprised and grateful for your presence, but also confused."

Bo smiled, "The information you received was true at the time Agent Fleurette-Marquis was to submit her list of witnesses. I believe you should have received a memo about my recovery some time last night."

Evony spoke, "I have a copy of the time stamped memo, your Honor. It was sent by courier directly to your office at 9pm."

The judge looked at the box of accused, then to their legal counsel before waving to the Seargent-at-Arms to approach. They whispered back and forth for a long moment before the judge turned back to Evony,

"I'll take that copy for my records, Special Agent. I don't suppose you have an additional copy for the defense."

"I do, your Honor. As well as a copy for the entire bench."

He waved her to him, "Approach."

She distributed the copies and returned to her desk at the front of the courtroom where Lambert and the rest of the Federal legal team stood.

"It's unusual to have this many copies, is it not?" He asked Evony.

"It is, your Honor, but our office had reason to believe that the memo had not been delivered to your office even though both a phone call and email verified that you were aware of the change in condition of General Ysabeau Dennis."

"The reason you believed the memo did not arrive?"

"We sent the memo by bike messenger, thinking it the hardest to track. We sent two messengers with the same memo. When we called the company to verify the delivery, they said both memos had arrived. Two days later, a friend of one of the messengers came to our offices asking for someone to investigate the death of one of the two messengers who had been sent to deliver the document."

"Death?"

Evony nodded, "Affirmative, Your Honor. One messenger was involved in a hit and run, but was able to tell his friend that he was struck by a car that had pulled out of a parking space, hit him and fled the scene. The other messenger was reported as a victim of a drive by shooting."

"Coincidence?"

"Your Honor," The J.A.G. Officer began, "The Special Agent is attempting to taint the image of high-ranking military officials by insinuating they had something to do with the death of two bike messengers? Seriously? She is grasping at straws in an attempt to tarnish..."

"Son, I do believe the officers you are defending have tarnished their own reputations with the evidence we reviewed thus far. Now, I was asking the special agent a question." He again turned to Evony, "Coincidence?"

"Our offices only obtained the evidence linked to the two deaths at two this morning, Your Honor, but at this point, we do not feel it is a likely coincidence, Sir."

"So you are saying that it is your belief that this was somehow meant to prevent General Dennis from testifying?"

"Your Honor..." The J.A.G. officer began, but the judge held up a hand and continued to listen to Evony,

"I do, Your Honor. There was an attempt the General's life while she slept a week after she became paralyzed due to oxygen deprivation from complications of sepsis. Apparently the hired assassin was unaware the General had regained the use of her hearing, voice, dominant right arm and neck. When she heard her I.V. pole being moved, she opened her eyes to find a Nurse she did not recognize holding a syringe. She called for help while keeping the syringe-wielding hand at bay with her good arm."

Evony acknowledged the commanding officer of her witnesses with a hand gesture as she spoke,

"We have the Colonel to thank for her survival, call sign Specter. He arrived in time to disarm and capture the Nurse. She is testifying on behalf of our team in exchange for a lesser sentence of Treason in Canada."

"So the Nurse was Canadian military?"

Evony nodded.

"Thank you, Special Agent."

Evony nodded again and moved back to her team.

The judge gave Bo a slight nod, which she returned in kind before he announced, "If there are no other preliminary issues, I will begin. Objections?"

Both teams replied, "No objections, Your Honor."

Everyone took their seats as the judge began his opening remarks,

"I have in my possession, documents pertaining to the case brought before me today as well as an additional memo which you have now all received. Before we begin, I would like to review a few items about our court, for the benefit of our civilian guests and foreign dignitaries. The Canadian government has been kind enough to permit these proceedings to take place on their soil in the interest of protecting all parties from physical harm and media influence during the trial."

He shuffled some papers and then began, "A general court martial is the highest military court in our United States. Uncharacteristically, you will notice I do not sit alone at the bench, for this case is highly irregular. Where we usually use one military judge from the defendant's service branch, we find ourselves in the unfamiliar territory of trying a case that involves defendants from all branches of our military. Not only is this highly irregular, but the charges and evidence are highly disturbing. So, as Judge Advocate General of our military, I have requested the presence of a Judge from each branch who will identify themselves at this time."

The judge nodded to the man at the end of the long dark hardwood stand, signaling him to introduce himself. He did so, followed by every person flanking the Judge Advocate General until each had identified him or herself.

"Judge Armand Caldera, Naval Forces."

"Judge Simona Perez, Marine Corps."

"Judge Tina J. Wallace, Army."

"Judge Charles H. Mills, Air Force."

"Judge Thomas Franklin, Coast Guard."

"Judge Hank Bowers, United States National Guard."

The lead Judge spoke again, "Ladies and Gentleman, I speak for all of my colleagues when I tell you that the case that is brought before you today is actually two cases in one. However, due to the closely related motives between the two, we have decided to use one trial for the sake of resolving both matters. At this time, we will hear introductory statements from the defense."

The J.A.G. Officer rose and approached the jurors' box,

"Ladies and Gentleman of the jury, the prosecution is going to tell you that these honorable and high-ranking, dedicated members of our military have conspired to commit many murders to cover up an incident from their early years as officers. Said incident was ruled pilot error, but the prosecution is going to lead you through the witch hunt which has brought us here today... a witch hunt which overturns the verdict of pilot error into a conspiracy theory that these men and women sabotaged a pilot's jet in order to kill him. Why? Well, their evidence of that is speculation at best. We are confident that you will find no concrete arguments that can prove the guilt of these fine men and women who have dedicated their lives to the service of keeping our country safe from all enemies, foreign and domestic."

He turned and took his seat.

Evony whispered to Ryan, "Wow. That's all he's got for an opening argument?"

Lambert smiled, "I'd all it a bit of a generalization, huh?"

The pair laughed before Ryan gave her a nudge, "Go get 'em, killer."

Evony rose and wandered slowly to the center of the courtroom as Bo leaned over to Lauren,

"Wait... why isn't Evony sitting with the other agents? She's not a lawyer, right? I thought Lambert was the legal guy?"

Lauren whispered her reply, "Apparently, she left a little of her history out with us. All part of the Special Agent mystique, I suppose. Specter found out that she began as a Federal Prosecutor. When the F.B.I. Special Agent in Charge started reading through evidence, he sent the two of them to finish the job. Apparently, because they are both former military, former legal eagles and current Feds, he wanted to make sure every "I" was dotted and every "T" was crossed. They were a perfect fit for this case."

"I guess so." Bo replied before nodding towards the agent who was beginning her opening argument. Lauren sat back in her chair and turned her attention towards the Agent who walked over to the juror's box,

"I'd like to start by thanking all of you for your patience as we were transporting you here. Due to the nature of this case, the soldiers and agents who escorted you here were told to move swiftly and with confidence. I suppose by now that you are starting to get an idea of exactly why. Mind you, these measures were taken as they were for your safety with no malice intended."

She turned her back to them, moving to the center of the courtroom before turning to face them once more as she spoke, "Prior to your arrival, a well-armed team of experienced covert American military operatives attacked the Farmhouse with assault rifles, C4 and grenades, taking down several of our number and putting others like General Ysabeau Dennis, in critical condition. Combining that assault with the most recent coincidence of messengers suffering mysterious accidental deaths, we believed we had cause to fear for your safety."

"Objection! Again, the Agent is attempting to blame the deaths of the messengers..."

The judge interrupted, "Your opinion on the messengers is clear and has been noted. Based on the evidence received, we agree these deaths are a coincidence and the prosecution may state it as such."

Evony walked towards her witnesses, waving an arm over them as she spoke to the jury,

"The men and women you see here today are the reason you are all here. You have sworn you have no familial or military connections to any of them. Unfortunately, it is impossible to say the same about the defendants as many of them could have served under any of you prior to your retirement. It is then, of note, that we proceed regardless of the potential for prejudice, for we are just that confident in our evidence as well as your sense of patriotism."

She turned to her witnesses as she spoke, "As I mentioned, these men and women are the survivors of an attack on a Farmhouse that has been used as a safe house by only me for more than a decade. I took them there under the belief that I could keep them safe until this trial. I took them there because I believed they were safe because the home is not mapped, safe because the home runs on four generators and not the public electrical grid, safe because there is no communication in or out, and safe because the circle of trust in our movements was incredibly tight. Sadly, they were not safe at all... none of us were. We were betrayed by a pilot we were led to believe we could trust."

Bo's eyes lowered, though her head remained erect, chin high and back straight. Lauren, however, could see the General's jaw tense and as a vein slowly protruded from her temple from the rise in her blood pressure at the mere thought of Sarah's betrayal. She knew Bo would not want her to use a physical gesture of comfort in this public military setting. Instead, she smiled as she used the hand signal alphabet they had created when Bo was unable to speak. Kenzi had called it BoLo sign language since it was just a combination of silly hand gestures.

' _B.R.E.A.T.H.E.'_

Lauren felt herself relax when she saw the corner of Bo's mouth turn up before the General took a deep breath and adjusted herself slightly in her seat. They shared eye contact for a fleeting moment before they both turned their attention back to Evony who had walked back to the jurors,

"On the night in question, an elite military assault team, comprised of men and women from various branches of our armed forces, executed an attack on the Farmhouse with no apparent intent to bring these allegedly treasonous soldiers to justice. Rather, they attacked without regard for preservation of life using lethal force, breaching military protocol. They drew first blood, shooting or bombing anything that moved. Grenades, C4, assault rifles and more have reduced what was to be their sanctuary, to charred ruins. It was, in fact, a miracle that any of us survived."

Turning to her witnesses, she spoke again, her eyes roaming over each of them, "Every man and woman in this witness box is here to testify to the events of that night. Further, more than half of these men and women can and will testify in the evidence that ties the assassinations carried out at the Farmhouse to crimes committed against military pilots more than a decade ago."

"Your Honor, is the prosecution testifying or making an opening argument?"

The Judge nodded, "Special Agent Marquis, if you would make your point, please?"

She nodded, "I'd ask for a little latitude in getting to that, your Honor.

"I will allow only a few more moments of this 'latitude' you request."

"Yes, your Honor." She replied before turning back to the jury,

She walked to the center of the courtroom, "The only question that remains is who was sent to kill everyone in that Farmhouse and who provided them with their mission."

She took a deep breath, interlocking her fingers in front of her as she slowly strolled towards the jury, "We intend to prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the collective you see seated behind the defense attorneys are the masterminds of the assault on the Farmhouse as well as the conspirators behind a recent Air Force program known as Project Resurrection and a past program known for a test plane known as the X-2 Starbuster."

The jury members began to mumble amongst themselves causing Evony to turn to Bo, the two sharing a smirk at the confirmation that some of the selected jurors were aware of the program and therefore, likely, her Father's roll and demise. It also meant they likely knew that General Walker was replaced by a bogus test that led to Jack Dennis being in that cockpit instead of him.

Both women turned to the back of the courtroom when the door opened. Bo's eyes went wide when she saw her favorite barkeep enter the room. If Trick knew she was there, he did not make it known. He took a seat, his eyes meeting those of one of the judges. Bo moved her eyes to meet Evony's who gave her a wink.

' _A wink? What are you up to Evony?' Bo thought as she met Tamsin's questioning eyes._

Both women turned back to Evony, who continued,

"We intend to prove it was no coincidence that Colonel Jack Dennis, the pilot killed in the X-2 Starbuster crash, was the Father of General Ysabeau Dennis who was brought in by the gentlemen seated opposite her to fly a plane in Project Resurrection. And, as luck – or coincidence – would have it, our General would come near death in a crash caused by a malfunction in the new X-2 Starbuster."

Again, mumbling could be heard from the jurors box, but Evony continued,

"And when General Dennis survived the crash, the chased her down at the Farmhouse. When they failed to kill her there, they sent an assassin to the hospital where just three weeks ago, a Canadian soldier confessed to the attempt, identifying one of the accused as his employer."

Again, more mumbling that spread through the entire courtroom. The judge banged his gavel, demanding order, but Bo barely heard any of the commotion. She knew the statement was coming – Evony had warned her in their witness prep session - but still, she struggled to keep her head high and eyes on the Jury when Evony spoke her name and pointed to her. She just kept reminding herself that this was to redeem her Father. It had become her knew mantra in the last few weeks and now, here she was, finally in a position to do so. She listened as Evony continued,

"The Prosecution will likely accuse all of these fine men and women of treason, trying to flip this trial over and make our team the Defense, but the evidence we bring to light will undoubtedly prove their innocence while simultaneously proving the guilt of these so-called high ranking, honorable military officials who we will prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, believe that their position – be it in politics or in the military – puts them above the law and immune to the consequences of the act of murder."

The Jury mumbled and moved, but Evony remained steadfast,

"That's right, ladies and gentleman. These men and women have not only committed more than a dozen counts of murder, but also attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, treason and conspiracy to violate the very fiber of our democracy."

She turned and pointed to Secretary of Defense, George Marshall, "Did you know that this man would become President of our United States with the deaths of just five people? Of course, that would be some coincidence, so we plan to prove that the plan was to place key high-ranking persons in the necessary positions to elevate the Secretary to that very position in our next election. He, in turn, would move the defendants like pawns on a chess board so that they could, collectively, undermine our freedoms and assume control of our democratic society."

She waved a hand over her witness box, "But thanks to these fine men and women, we have obtained evidence that has not only saved our democracy, but will prove the guilt and therefore provide justice, sending the defendants into their deserved prison cells for the rest of their lives or straight to their makers."

Kenzi turned and looked over her shoulder to Bo, whispering, "This woman should have taken up a career in acting. So dramatic."

Bo whispered back, "Yea, well let's just hope she can put her money where her mouth is and put these bastards away."

"Ladies and Gentleman, I'm sure my statements sound just as general and dramatic as those made by the Defense, but the difference between the two is that we have the evidence. We have the witnesses. We have recordings, we have the timeline, we have statements, we have reports and we have the first hand accounts of the most recent indiscretions. We are confident that you will find the evidence and the testimonies of these brave young men and women to be sound. They are soldiers and civilians who so believe in defending our nation, that they have put both their lives and their careers on the line today to bring the accused to justice at great personal risk."

Evony sauntered over to the end of the jury box, placing a hand on the dark hard wood. She paused for a moment before sliding it along as she moved past each juror, her eyes on theirs as she spoke,

"I ask you, when you were their age, would you have dared to disobey a direct order from the men and women sitting on the other side of this courtroom? Well, these witnesses had so much proof, that they had the courage to do so... to do what was right... putting country first. The Defense would like you to believe my clients are traitorous, but my team will show you conclusive proof that they are, instead, men and women deserving of our respect and admiration. They are men and women you would have been proud to have served beside or have served under your command. Thank you."

The courtroom was silent as Evony returned to her seat, the Judge immediately banging his gavel before the crowd could begin to chat about her opening remarks,

"Prosecution, call your first witness."

Evony turned to her witness box and gave them all a smile before turning to the Seargent-At-Arms, "If you would sir."

The man signaled to the back of the courtroom before pulling a large flat screen TV out to the front and angling it so everyone could see it. In the back, the doors swung open. All of the men and women in uniform turned and stood at attention as two Generals appeared in the doorway, one in a wheelchair on a ventilator.

Bo leaned over to Lauren, "Shit. He made it?"

Lauren turned to Bo, "This is the first I'm hearing of it. They must have kept it quiet for a reason. Another threat?"

Bo shrugged, "I really don't know."

She looked at Kenzi, "Did you..."

"Sorry, BoBo. You know the drill."

"Damn secrets. Short version?" Bo asked.

Kenzi nodded, "There were three attempts on Flanders life while he was in his sick bed, the last did this to him. Walker had two attempts – one before and one after he made the rounds to see everyone, including you. All of the attempts were reportedly by American military soldiers disguised as Canadian civilians visiting family members who were Canadian soldiers at the hospital. After the second attempt, our hosts pulled out all the stops and began using a fingerprint ID system to allow anyone access to the grounds. Apparently, it royally p.o.'d some peeps, but they stuck to it to keep us all safe."

Bo snarked, "Wow, I feel so much less important now. They only tried to kill me once in the hospital."

Kenzi looked at Lauren who clarified, "Twice, actually. We didn't tell you about the first one and you foiled the second one yourself."

"I feel so much better now." She quipped sarcastically as General Walker pushed General Flanders forward into the courtroom.

Bo stood with Lauren's assistance, offering a salute to the two men who had made this trial possible. General Walker offered a return salute, before moving forward. The rest of the military personnel in the box stood and offered the two men a salute as well.

Everyone watched as General Walker positioned General Flanders in front of the witness stand and locked the wheels on his wheelchair. He then inserted a stylus into Flanders' mouth before walking to the rear. He took a seat beside Bo, both Generals sitting silently, their eyes now trained on Evony as she spoke,

"Let the record show that General Carl Flanders is taking the stand. He will reply with an affirmative response by blinking his eyes twice, a negative response by blinking his eyes once. Any answers that require a more lengthy response, he will reply by writing using his tablet and stylus. You will be able to view his responses on the large digital screen to the right of the courtroom."

She turned to the General, "Is your name and rank General Carl Flanders?"

He blinked twice.

"Let the record show the General blinked twice."

"Your Honor," The J.A.G. officer began, "With all due respect to the General in his condition, does the Prosecution really expect us to listen to a full testimony with signals? This could take hours."

Evony snickered, "Since his testimony goes back to the murder of Colonel Jack Dennis as well as an attempt on his own life as a test pilot with the U.S. Air Force, I expect it will, Your Honor. Considering General Flanders is permanently in this condition because of the third attempt on his life by American military personnel, I suspect it will take longer."

"Heresay."

"The written testimony of General Flanders is on the record as well as witnesses and documentation to the same."

The Judge considered, "It is my understanding that General Flanders has been released from the hospital against the recommendation of his physicians purely to offer his testimony here today. Would the Defense be willing to accept the reading of the Generals' written testimony in the spirit of saving time for these proceedings as well as for the health of the General?"

The Judge looked at the J.A.G. Officer, who did not immediately respond, "Colonel Mackey?"

"Agreed, Your Honor."

Evony nodded, "Agreed, Your Honor."

"Very well." The Judge replied, handing the document to the Seargent-At-Arms who in turn, handed it to the court Scribe to read.

Evony walked to General Flanders who allowed the stylus to drop from his mouth. She leaned down and whispered in his ear,

"I told you we'd have you back in bed in a few hours, Tops. These guys think that it's to their advantage that they've taken your voice. Your written testimony will say more than you ever could have via the typical courtroom question and answer session. Well done, General."

She pulled back, seeing a smile in his eyes as he blinked twice. They gave their attention to the young woman who began to read his statement. Bo leaned over to Lauren,

"Can we offer that new treatment to him?"

Lauren whispered her reply, "I'll look into it, Bo, but I can't make any promises. Remember that we started treating you well before your electrical system had begun to atrophy. I don't even know what's caused the Generals' condition. I just..."

"I understand. Just... please look into it?"

Lauren nodded, "Everyone who knows the treatment is here, but I'll get it started as soon as possible."

"How about the Chief of Staff at the hospital."

Lauren shrugged, "Now that he's seen it work, we might be able to have him start the treatment with Brad and Martin there with him."

"But Martin is here."

Lauren shook her head, "Evony will only call him if it's absolutely necessary. She's assuming that duplicate testimonies will be agreed to for the sake of saving time just like Flanders' testimony is being read now."

Bo nodded, "Great."

They both turned their attention back to the testimony being read, but Bo's eyes drifted to the General who had stood by her Father when he was just a young Colonel. She couldn't take her eyes off the chair and the respirator. She couldn't stop thinking about the fact that she could be in this courtroom looking just like him right now. She'd come close to not being here at all.

She turned her head and looked at Lauren who was watching the statement reading intently. Bo could remember almost every moment that the blonde was beside her in the hospital. When she'd thought Lauren would leave, she'd stayed, just as she'd promised. Would she have stayed if Bo had landed in a chair like General Flanders? What will happen to him if she can't help him to breathe and walk on his own again?

She turned back to the front of the courtroom where the Generals' gaze was wandering over the faces of everyone present. It took only a moment for his eyes to land on Bo's. She tried to force a smile across her face, but she couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt over his condition. She straightened in her chair when he saw him blink once.

Her eyes held a questioning glance wondering what he was saying no to... or if he was saying no, but his gaze never left hers as he held his eyes closed for a more deliberate moment before opening them to gaze at her again.

"He's telling you no." General Walker whispered in her ear, "Just like he told me. It wasn't my fault that he jumped in front of me when that bomb went off anymore than it was your fault that he's in that chair and you're not. He's telling you not to feel guilty. He'd do it again if he had the choice."

Bo glanced at General Walker for a long moment, her eyes brimming with tears before she turned back to General Flanders. Swallowing hard, she offered him a smile and a nod. She owed him. He was a good, honest and courageous man who didn't deserve this end and she would do everything in her power to make sure she gave him every opportunity to walk and breathe on his own again.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Bo sat alone outside the courtroom, her canes stacked against the ceiling=height round pillar to the right of the dark wood bench she sat upon. She sipped water through a straw as she tried to compose herself. It had been five long days spent in this courtroom and she was struggling with the needling pains that streaked down her legs repeatedly as she sat at attention for hours on end.

Of course, today had been different. She was Evony's last witness and the testimony had gone smoothly until the cross-examination by the defense. She'd lost her temper and she could tell by the look on the Agents' face that she was not particularly happy with Bo's performance. For her part, she could say that everything she'd said, regardless of the volume and tone of her voice had been spot on and the evidence backed it up. She had really tried to stay calm, but something in her had just snapped...

 _ **Two Hours Ago, Courtroom...**_

" _Objection! Your Honor, General Dennis has already been asked to relive the details of that night three times today. Is the Defense seriously telling us he needs to hear it again?"_

" _The Defense has a right to ask their questions, Ms. Marquis. Over ruled."_

" _Please, Ms. Dennis, if you will answer the question."_

 _Bo straightened her collar, about to correct the Prosecutor, but Evony was on her feet again,_

" _Your Honor, I believe General Dennis has earned her rank and it would be appropriate for the Prosecution to refer to the officer by rank, not by a gender-assigned title."_

 _The Judge nodded, "I agree. Colonel Mackey, you will address the witness as General."_

" _Yes, Your Honor." He turned back to Bo, "General, please recount the events of the night in question."_

 _Bo straightened in her seat, taking a deep, cleansing breath. She tried to focus on the positive, grateful Mackey had not asked her to relive the things that had happened on base again. He'd already put her through what she remembered of the day her Dad had died and her own crash when Lauren had found the sabotage to her jet. He'd also already had her relive the time with Sarah, wondering how she could accuse the deceased woman of conspiracy when she had saved her life._

 _Truthfully, that had been the first test of her temper and she'd held it well, but that answer, of course, is what led to the line of questioning they had now entered. Sarah had been held prisoner in the basement of the Farmhouse and died in the assault. Luckily, Evony had already had the personnel from the lab on the stand to reveal that she had, indeed, been killed by fire from her own team._

 _Still, here she was, being forced to relive the Farmhouse attacks, having just done so for Evony on the first day and for Mackey on cross not ten minutes later. She sighed again,_

" _General Dennis?"_

 _Bo looked up, taking a moment to come back from her thoughts,_

" _Sorry. I..."_

" _Do you need a break, General? There is no shame in asking for a recess. I'm sure that a woman in your condition..."_

 _That was it. That was the moment when Bo's temper had begun to flare. She held it, but she knew Mackey was treading on fragile ground with her emotions._

" _While it's funny to me that you haven't referred to any of the men as in a condition that needed a break, I can assure you that won't be necessary, Colonel. As you're well aware, my training allows me to hold up against days – even weeks – of torture. I've endured worse, I assure you. You asked a very general question. I'm just organizing my thoughts and considering where you'd like me to start."_

" _Let's start with the first alleged assault on this Farmhouse in which you had been secluded."_

 _She began, her deep brown orbs fixed on the Colonel's, while her mind took the dark journey back to the events of those days where they'd fought for their lives. She recounted each altercation, reliving the emotions through her minds' eye. Flashes of gunfire that had been a blur for weeks, were now clear and colorful. She wanted to shield her ears from the vivid sounds of the explosions – the explosion that had left the General on a ventilator for the first time. She recited the events as if it was a memorized speech, when In fact, it was more a movie set to loop. She had no idea how many times she'd relived these moments, but while she had laid paralyzed for weeks in a hospital bed, she had analyzed every angle of every assault trying to find the moment where she could have – no, should have – done something differently to keep all of her people alive._

 _She detailed the first assault where Tamsin had helped her to get Lauren out of harms way. She detailed the arrival in the barn, reliving the sense of failure at finding she had soldiers who were missing, wounded and dead. She'd recounted the rescue mission where they had returned to the Farmhouse to retrieve any survivors from the explosion and subsequent fire. Finally, she'd recounted their escape and all she could remember until she'd become unconscious before being carried onto the plane._

 _Naturally, he had pressed for more details and she had given them, but somewhere along the way, she'd glanced up at the defendants seated before her and paused – ever so briefly – from the shock of seeing Colonel Dyson Thornwood seated next to General Saunders._

" _General Dennis, we're waiting."_

 _She looked up at the Prosecutor, "I'm sorry. Can you repeat the question?"_

" _I asked if you believed you were to blame for any of the deaths in the assaults you've described here today."_

 _Bo glanced at Dyson who was smirking and then back at Mackey, "If you're asking if I made any errors in my tactics, I would say no. We were outgunned and outnumbered on every mission."_

" _And still you chose to send your people in."_

 _Bo scowled, "I'm sorry, but you appear to be wearing an American military uniform. Is that just a costume?"_

" _Your Honor, request permission to treat the witness as hostile."_

 _The Judge turned to Bo, "If you cannot answer the questions, I will be forced to grant his request."_

 _Bo replied, "I'm sorry, Your Honor, but every soldier knows..." She turned back to Mackey, "...we don't leave our people behind."_

 _All of the military witnesses seated behind Evony, Ryan and the other Federal Prosecutors rose and, in unison, gave salute to their General. She turned back to Mackey,_

" _I believe that answers your question. I did not make the decision to enter that house alone and all decisions leading up to the initial assault committed by the defendants were made by the three Generals present at the time."_

 _Colonel Mackey nodded before asking, "So you do not believe that the death of Captain Sarah Hanes – a soldier who had saved your life – was your fault? You served under her Father, Admiral Ward Hanes, did you not?"_

" _I did."_

" _And you feel no remorse in her death."_

" _I regret the loss of life, but her death was not at my hand."_

" _And the deaths of your soldiers? Do you honestly believe they would be dead now if you hadn't led them on this path to get revenge for your own personal agenda?"_

" _Excuse me?" Bo's voice was agitated and filled with shock over the question._

" _I'm sorry, let me rephrase. Isn't the real story here that you convinced these fine young men and women to follow your lead merely out of a grudge you held towards General Greene over the death of your Father?"_

 _Evony was out of her seat before the Prosecutor could finish the question, "OBJECTION! Your Honor, evidence has been produced prior to trial that proved the need for this very trial. The Prosecution is personally attacking a highly decorated soldier of the United States Air Force!"_

 _The Judge banged his gavel several times, "Colonel Mackey! You will refrain from personal attacks on your witness. Do you have a question?"_

" _Yes, Your Honor. My clients are being held solely responsible for every death mentioned in this trial. I want to know who killed Sarah Hanes. Who is going to pay for her murder?"_

 _Bo looked up to see Dyson and the Admiral nodding their heads, "Again, evidence has been presented that proves the cause of death was friendly fire from her own people... people who failed to remove her before the Farmhouse went up in flames or failed to protect her when it did. None of those present for the Defense were present in that basement room. Those who were held as potential hostages were found in a storage room off the back of the house."_

" _And the deaths of..." He picked up a paper and then read the names to Bo, "... your own soldiers, Anthony "Bug" Jordan and Mark "Panther" Thornwood? Are you going to try to pin every death on my clients?"_

 _Bo glared at Dyson as she responded, her temper full blown now, "We defended ourselves against a military assault with military force. We defended ourselves against an assault led by Colonel Dyson Thornwood and it was his men who killed both Bug and Panther..." She looked directly at Dyson, "Of all of the criminal offenses in this trial, I can think of none more heinous than that of a Father sending his troops into the fray knowing that his son was on the list of personnel present."_

" _You don't know that."_

 _She eyed Specter, "I do know that and so does everyone in this room. Colonel John "Specter" Dawson has already presented the list of names straight from the Office of the Secretary of Defense."_

" _Do you know for a fact that Colonel Thornwood was present? You testified they were masked and there was smoke. Maybe you're mistaken?" Mackey asked._

" _And maybe you're just beating a dead horse because you know you've already lost! I know Thornwood! I've flown with him many times. I'd know his voice, his posture and his methods anywhere. What the hell is wrong with you? I'm telling you that Dyson killed his own son and you want to stand there and try to blame me? Panther was my wingman on several missions! He was a good man and a great pilot and I want his Father to pay for killing him!"_

 _ **Present, Outside the Courtroom...**_

"General!"

Bo's head whipped up to find Evony staring down at her, "Oh, you."

"Yea, me. What happened in there?"

Bo shook her head, lowering her eyes to the Agents' Jimmy Choos, "I saw Dyson sitting there... I just... I didn't expect to see him and... I don't know, I just lost it. He killed his own son, Evony. It may not have been his bullet, but geezus. I didn't hear the gavel... I'm sorry. I saw Mackey smirking at me before you stood up. I guess he got what he wanted."

"To make you look like a loon so he could use that on closing, yup."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lost my composure. I'm better than that. I just... dammit, I just wanted to punch that Mackey guy in the face."

"Shhhh..." Evony said, sitting next to Bo, "Let's not make threats in public. Listen, it's not that bad. We'll recover from this. Besides, the jury's opinion is the one that really matters. You were on the stand for four hours, Bo. The jury knows that. They're an old, wise and agenda-free jury. They'll see what he was trying to do. Four of them are former J.A.G. officers. They know the tactics. I did manage to calm things down and tomorrow, Walker and his boys take the stand. The nail is going into the coffin and I intend to swing the hammer... hard, Bo. No worries."

Bo nodded, taking another sip of her water.

"Still not drinking out of a cup?" Evony asked.

Bo shrugged, "Still having a little trouble with the whole swallowing thing."

"Yea, well it shows. Did you eat anything today?" She asked.

Again, Bo shrugged, "Nah. I don't have much of an appetite."

Evony nodded, "Well, if you'd like to head out for the day, you can. I know it's hard for you to sit in there."

Shaking her head, she replied, "I want to stay with my people."

"I thought you'd say that, but I really think they would understand if you headed back to the hospital."

"I'm sick of that place."

Evony countered, "Yea, but if you follow the treatment plan, Lauren says you should be out by the end of next week."

Tamsin and Kenzi emerged from the courtroom, "The guard is ready to take us back to the hospital. Tamsin's itchin' to see her man."

Bo smiled, "I heard they got him out of bed today."

Tamsin grinned, "Yup and he starts P.T. tomorrow. The Respiratory Therapist says his oxygen levels are almost back to normal."

"That's great to hear. I can't wait to see him." Bo smiled.

Lauren and Specter came out of the courtroom, the blonde coming to stand near the pillar. She gripped Bo's canes, holding them in front of her,

"Ready to go?"

Bo nodded, "Sure."

She had only gripped the canes and stood for a few moments when she and Lauren were surrounded by the military police that had been assigned to them, walking them to the exit.

"These Canadian military police are really on their mark, huh?" Bo smiled, "Maybe even a little too on us?"

Martin laughed, "Yea, well none of them want to be the one who allowed the famous General Bo "Stick" Dennis to get killed on their watch. Would you?"

Bo cocked her head, "I'm no more important than any of you."

Lauren chuckled, "Bo, take the compliment. You've set a new standard for pilots. Your achievements will make everyone better... especially the mechanics on the ground. You've shed light on their work by bringing your Dad's case back to life. And leave the guards alone. They're just doing their job and they've volunteered to do it as sequestered members of the trial, which meant leaving their own families behind. They do a great job and are deserving of our patience and respect."

"You're right. Consider my attitude adjusted, Doctor Lewis." Bo smiled.

Lauren nodded, "Honestly, I'm just relieved that General Walker was able to keep this a joint Canadian-American operation through to the end of the trial."

Bo nodded, "Agreed. I have a feeling they would have gotten to any task forces or guards that were strictly American. The influence of this conspiracy is far-reaching."

Lauren agreed, "Evony said they're still writing up warrants and that this trial will likely breed more trials. She said this could go on for years."

Martin nodded, "I'm sure it will. I've heard from a friend of mine in Britain that they're getting involved in this now. I think it's more involved than anyone ever knew."

"Except our resident Agent Ice Queen." Kenzi quipped, "Seriously, though, I'm sure there's going to be quite the shakeup at the D.O.D. when I get back there."

"Why do you say that?" Bo asked.

Kenzi laughed, "Did you hear Trick's testimony? Were you not in the same zip code? That was a bomb!"

Tamsin chuckled, "The fact that he was present when Walker's test results were skewed or suffered his biggest regret the night your Dad was killed?"

Bo hung her head, "He knew. He knew and he tried to stop him from going up."

Kenzi shook her head, "Yea, well he was late, he failed and Dad's dead."

"Kenzi, we can't blame him. Hell, he's the only one who caught onto the fact that something shady was going on. If he had told anyone back then, they sure as hell wouldn't have waited until we were pilots to kill us."

Martin nodded, "Your whole family probably would have had one of those coincidental car accidents. Good bye Dennis family, hello master plan."

"Yea, well I intend to research all of his records when I get back to the D.O.J. He gave me all of the access information. Funny that I can't wait to get back to work." Kenzi quipped.

"You're going back there?" Bo asked.

Kenzi raised her eyebrows at her sister, "Unless you know something about early, early, early retirement incentives that I don't know, of course I'm going back."

Bo nodded and looked up at the Canadian guard, then looked over her shoulder to Kenzi and Tamsin, "See you at the hospital?"

They nodded as Kenzi replied, "We'll be there. Are you sure you don't want us to insist on riding with you? The crowd is pretty big out there from what the Fed told us."

Specter shook his head, "They won't move a car if it has more than three witnesses in it – that's directly from our Federal team. Evony's afraid..."

"Someone will try to off us all." Tamsin snarked.

Specter nodded, "That's why Martin is going with you."

Tamsin laughed, "I feel so much safer."

"Hey!" Martin interjected, as Specter corrected,

"I meant so we have teams of three in the cars." Specter clarified.

Martin was clearly upset, "You know, I would never assume you couldn't fly a jet just because you're a woman. And for your information, I may avoid conflict and physical violence, but..."

Lauren finished, knowing the last thing they needed was raised voices with the reporters as close as they were to them, "Martin is a former alternate to the British Olympic Team in Judo and has earned the 5th Dan Black Belt in Song Moo Kwan."

Kenzi scrunched up her face, "So we're being guarded by a singer?"

Martin laughed, "Song Moo Kwan is a form of Karate."

Lauren added, "He's a Master. He has actually been teaching classes to the military kids on the base."

"I thought Grand Master Yang did that." Tamsin questioned.

Martin nodded, "He does, but in order for me to continue to grow and progress, I have to teach under the supervision of a Grand Master. He agreed to be my Sensei."

Tamsin tugged at her uniform sleeves and ran her fingers down her uniform to be sure everything was laying properly as she considered Martin,

"Wow. That's... impressive... for one of our platoon's top geeks."

Martin smiled, "Ha. Ha. Well, I have to say that the little blankets you knitted for the maternity ward of the hospital were quite unexpected from "Rage" the fighter jet pilot as well."

"Whaat?" Kenzi smiled, her eyes lighting up as she turned to Tamsin, "You knit?"

Tamsin folded her arms across her chest, her fiery blue eyes gazing down at Kenzi, "You got a problem with that, Spit?"

"It's Spitfire and I think that's the most hysterical thing I've ever heard in my life!" Kenzi laughed, "Big bad jet pilot sitting in a rocking chair knitting blankies like a granny!"

She held her gut as she laughed hysterically, but Bo simply turned to Tamsin, ignoring her sister,

"Well, if she doesn't appreciate the Cashmere scarf you had planned to knit for her at Christmas, I'll take an extra. I still need Air Force blue as we discussed, but you could make the second one red unless you just want to save yourself the time and not make it at all. Of course, I'd even be willing to pay for the second one. I mean, what girl doesn't need a pop of red to go with her dress blues. AmIRight?"

Tamsin nodded with Bo, "I completely agree." Tamsin looked at Lauren, "Still black for you?"

Lauren nodded as Tamsin turned to the guys, "Specter, you're still dark green and Martin, you want white, right?"

They both nodded in unison as Martin added, "That's very sweet of you, Tamsin. The blankets really were beautiful. I may also ask to pay you to make me an adult version of one of those for winter. You are quite skilled. It must be very relaxing to sit with Manes and pass the time away when he sleeps."

Tamsin nodded, "It's quite therapeutic. I get a little antsy when I'm just sitting there watching him breathe while he sleeps. Besides, these Canadians have an incredible selection of yarns. I may have to go to a fabric store before I go home and grab a bunch."

Bo asked, "So now what are you going to get my big mouth sister for Christmas?"

Lauren shrugged, "Well, what does every girl need besides a good scarf?"

Tamsin gasped, raising a finger, "I've got it! I'll buy Kenzi a box of tampons instead!"

With that, the blonde turned and stuck her tongue out at Kenzi before turning to the guard and waving, "Come, guard dog. Earn your keep and get me to my man."

The guard looked at Bo who whispered, "She's kidding. Trust me when I say most of what comes out of her mouth is sarcasm. It's not personal. She's an equal opportunity offender."

The guard nodded and followed Tamsin outside where chaos awaited.

Kenzi shook her head, "I can't believe I have to ride to the hospital with her."

Martin gave an eager wave, a snarky grin on his face, "Don't forget me! Aren't you just SO happy to have the both of us!"

He followed Tamsin while Kenzi slapped her thigh and glared at Bo, "This sucks."

"Well, if you would see a Doctor for that Foot In Mouth Disease like I've told you to a million times, it may not suck so bad." Bo laughed as her sister followed the rest of her group down the long white staircase of the Federal Courthouse.

Specter stepped up to stand next to Bo, "I'm riding over with you, but do you mind if I break off once we're inside so that I can go see Haus? He wants to know about the trial."

Bo nodded, "Sure, just remember the oath..."

"I know, General. Keep the confidential stuff to myself." Specter noted, "General, do you think I should tell him?"

"If I may, you should check with his physician." Lauren interjected.

Bo nodded, "I agree. Are the plans finished?"

"The Air Force is flying the bodies home day after tomorrow. I've spoken with all of the families about the preliminary stuff." Specter replied, but paused.

"You okay, Colonel?" Bo asked.

He shrugged, "I'm good. It's just the first time I've ever had to notify next of kin."

Bo nodded, "I'm sorry I wasn't able to take that burden from you."

He shook his head, "General Walker offered to do it. I knew the families, so I thought it would be best coming from me."

Bo understood, "You'll give us the information for the services?"

He nodded, "You'll know when I know, General."

She placed a hand on his shoulder, "You did everything you could, Specter. Hang in there."

"Yes, Ma'am." He nodded, looking up, "I'll take front?"

Bo handed a cane to Lauren and pulled her hat from under her arm. Placing it firmly on her head, she ran her hand over her uniform, tugging at her collar and sleeves.

"You're good, General." Specter assured, smoothing out his own uniform.

"So are you, Colonel. Let's do this."

They turned into the doorway to exit and Bo gasped, stopping dead in her tracks when she saw the size of the crowd that had gathered.

"Oh Boy." Lauren said quietly, handing Bo her other cane.

The brunette looked up at the sea of reporters and photographers they would have to get through in order to get to the car. She knew the guards would push them back, but it would only take one person to knock her off her feet. She was far from steady and the doctors had cautioned her that any fall could push her recovery back weeks – even months.

Specter placed a hand on the guards' shoulder, "The General cannot fall, Corporal. Understood?"

"Sir, yes Sir. Her physicians explained it to us personally. We'll form a circle around her. We want you, Doctor Lewis and Doctor Cambridge to form a triangle around her for added protection."

"Roger that, Corporal. No comments, got it?"

"Sir, yes, Sir. The reporters will receive silence all the way to the car."

Specter turned to the General who looked white as a sheet. The sweat dribbling down her temple told him she needed to be back in the hospital bed,

"General?"

Bo didn't respond, so he placed a hand on her shoulder and leaned in closer, "Stick?"

She turned towards him, as he spoke, "Sorry, but you didn't respond to your title. You feeling okay?"

She gave him a worried smile, "I don't do well with crowds, Specter. They give me flashbacks, then nausea, then I get sweaty and feel... well, when I was a kid surrounded by reporters after my Dad died, I passed out. General Flanders was actually the one to hoist me up and rush me to the limo while my Mom stood there and screamed at the reporters for being... I believe it was ignorant and insensitive."

Specter nodded, "Well, I know you played in the Air Force Touch Football League. Running back, right?"

Bo nodded.

"Well, think of us as your protection when you run the ball. We'll be in formation around you. No one is getting to you, Stick. I give you my word."

Bo looked up at him and nodded.

"Ready?" Specter asked Lauren and Martin who moved into position.

Bo looked at Lauren who gripped the back of her elbow and said, "I know you hate going down steps. It's not too late for us to head down to the basement by elevator and have the car pick you up out back."

Steadying her legs and her nerve, Bo shook her head, "I'm not giving these reporters anything to use against us. Let's get this over with. Martin?"

He looked over his shoulder and gave Bo a nod. Clicking the button on the remote control, he watched Bo's eyes light up,

"That feels so good right now."

Martin nodded, "A massage for your nerves. You've been sitting entirely too long. You can't do that again, Bo."

"I don't have a choice."

"You do if you let Evony talk to the Judge about letting you stand in the back."

Bo shook her head, "We're not there yet. We're almost done, Martin."

Lauren disagreed, "Bo, we may have as many as seven days left."

Evony and Ryan spoke from behind them, "You're all still here?"

Bo snapped, "Yes, Evony. We're still here. I'm not exactly a record holding sprinter these days."

"Well, well, well. Someone has their panties in a twist. It was just a question... speculation, really. And Lauren is right, we could have up to seven days remaining. If your Physician believes sitting would be counterproductive in your care, the Judge will allow you to stand or sit in the back as you need. I've already asked him as a potential necessary medical assist."

Bo scowled, "I did not ask you to do that."

Evony nodded, "That is true, but if you can't be in the courtroom because you have a setback, you're of no use to me. I'm protecting my case by protecting the health of my client. Do you have a problem with that?"

Bo huffed and turned to Specter, "Let's go."

She took two steps out onto the outer landing and the crowd immediately came towards her. The joint taskforce of American and Canadian military police worked together to push the lines of reporters back, giving the group a wide berth as they approached the top stair. Bo focused on the gait she'd been taught in P.T., placing the canes in the right position with respect to each foot, leaning on each in a rhythm timed to her steps. She blocked out the crowd and focused on the car door ahead, ignoring the microphones and cameras being shoved in front of her face.

After what felt like an eternity, she heard Evony call the crowd's attention to her. Specter and Lauren physically held Bo's arms, effectively bringing her forward progress to a halt with about seven steps to go to the bottom. The Canadian Guard stepped tightly around them, interlocking their sabers to keep the crowd from penetrating their circle.

Specter quipped, "Way to go Evony. Coast is clear, gang."

"Let's go." Martin said, nudging the guards in front of him forward.

As Bo's legs weakened under the efforts of the day, Lauren and Specter held her more firmly, keeping her upright until they finally reached the car. She slid in, plopping down on the seat while Lauren crawled in across from her. Specter and Martin circled around the other side of the vehicle where they were essentially shoved inside by the guard,

"They're coming back! Get them out of here!" Bo heard before she looked up at the window to see the reporters running at the vehicle and down the stairs, their camera's flashing over and over again until Lauren leaned forward under Bo's hand and pressed the up button on the window."

Lauren took both of Bo's hands in her own, "Bo, they're gone. We're on our way to the hospital."

The brunette looked up at Lauren, her eyes watering, "Whose side are they on, Lauren?"

The blonde gripped tighter, "It doesn't matter. What matters..." She looked up at Specter and Martin, nodding them to reach in. When all of their hands were on Bo's, she finished, "... is that we are all on your team and you're on ours. Screw the rest of the world."

Specter smiled, "Screw the rest of the world."

Martin nodded, "Screw the rest of the world."

Bo smiled, "Screw the rest of the world!"

There was a moment of silence before the five members of the Canadian Guard in their vehicle spoke in unison, "Screw the rest of the world!"

The Americans in the back seat busted out laughing before they cheered their Canadian allies. Everyone was shouting and laughing, enjoying a break from the tension of the day. Bo settled down before the rest of the group, giving her the opportunity – for the first time in months – to experience the sound of laughter and the beauty of smiling faces. Where moments ago, she felt too exhausted and anxious to make it to the bottom of the courthouse stairs, she now felt lighter... and somehow, stronger. She was going to see this through. She was going to make sure her Father's story was told and that justice was done in the name of the soldiers who hadn't seen this mission to its end.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Up Next... the conclusion of "Honor"**_


	9. Chapter 9: Final Flight

_**A/N:**_ _Sorry for the delay, but my laptop crashed, and I had to wait a bit to put together the funds for a newbie! Alas, I'm back in debt but writing again! I am now so grateful for cloud backups! Anyway, when I wrote the previous chapter, I thought I knew where I was headed, but alas, that was not the case after months away from this story! I've still got some loose ends to tie up, so I believe next chapter should pull it off. If not, two shorter than usual chapters will follow this one. The next update(s) should come much more quickly!_

 _Sorry for any spelling/grammar errors. This chapter is huge and while I tried to grammar and spellcheck as I moved along, I did not do a final review. My new laptop has a massive trackpad and I've found the cursor moving on its own if I unknowingly touch it while continuing to type! Hopefully there's nothing too badly misplaced or inserted! I'll proof and update if I find anything else._

 _As always, thank you for your patience! Let's get this thing to court!_

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Chapter 9: Final Flight**_

 _ **Final Day, Special Session of a Joint Military Court, Quebec, Canada**_

"The Defense calls General Ysabeau "Stick" Dennis."

"OBJECTION!" Evony called out, standing so quickly that Ryan had to catch the chair that tipped backwards from the force of her legs thrusting it out of her way.

"Your Honor, the defense has a right to cross."

"You have crossed twice now. Your Honor, this is..."

"We have new evidence, Your Honor."

"Approach." The Judge said, removing his bifocal glasses and heaving a great sigh.

Bo's hands tensed on her canes as she willed her legs to hold her at a stand, propped up against the rear courtroom wall. She could feel the anxiety surging through her body, but still managed to shake her head at Lauren, who looked like she was going to jump out of her seat and run to her.

Her life had become about caretakers. Everyone wanted to cook for her, clean for her – hell, they even wanted to help her dress. She felt smothered... and dependent. She missed being just Stick. She missed her jet. Flying Mach 5 into the sunset right now would make everything feel better. She was just sick and tired of being treated like some fragile piece of glass that could break at any moment.

She turned her head and looked out the window of the courtroom, the argumentative shouts muting into background noise. She wondered what everyone would do if she suddenly threw her canes through the window and ran from the courtroom.

She chuckled at the thought as she stared down at her legs. Running wasn't an option, and no one would tell her for sure if it ever would be again. She heaved a heavy sigh, knowing that part of the reason she felt so anxious and tense was because she hadn't had a good workout in months. It had been decades since she'd skipped even one daily run. Now, here she was, grounded in every way, shape and form.

Despite how she felt, she was well aware that she needed help - physically - for some of the heavy lifting in her life. She had resigned herself to that fact and had accepted it as a temporary aspect of her life. What she couldn't get used to – what she didn't think she'd ever be able to tolerate - were the constant looks of sympathy... no... pity. It was those that made her stomach churn. She wanted to scream at everyone to leave her alone, but the truth was, part of her felt... broken.

About a week after the first testimony she had given, Lauren had broached the subject of counseling...

 _ **Six Weeks Ago, Bo's Hospital Room...**_

 _After the Nurse helped Bo back into bed, she laid back, exhausted from her latest round of physical therapy. They'd been pushing her harder, something Bo was grateful for, since it made her too tired to think about anything before crashing into sleep. Unfortunately, she was now startled awake by flashbacks on a regular basis – some from when she was imprisoned in Iraq and some from the more recent memories of the Farmhouse attack. Once awake, sleep was almost impossible as her mind fluctuated between the scenes of her distant past and the fresh events of the assault that had taken the lives of some of her soldiers... friends._

 _She rolled onto her side, crying out as a cramp ran the length of her leg up through her hamstring. She struggled to find the button behind her, pressing it rapidly when she finally did. The day nurse on the orthopedic floor came running into the room,_

" _Another cramp?"_

 _Bo's reply was unintelligible as her hand moved to grip the back of her thigh._

" _I'll take that as a yes." She replied, pulling back the thin blanket and carefully moving Bo's foot into a flexed position to begin the process of stretching out the cramp._

" _Dammit!" Bo finally managed to get out, "I'm so fucking sick of these fucking cramps!"_

" _I see we're sticking with using anger and cursing to deal with your muscular response to P.T., huh?"_

" _Fuck you!"_

" _Well, I believe that's a bit uncalled for considering I am at your beckoned call whenever you hit that little old button – which – by the way, you're using with much more frequency."_

" _So., They pay you for it."_

 _The Nurse chuckled, "Just saying that your physical therapy team says you're improving and yet here you are, still needing your team of Nurses' with greater regularity. Something doesn't add up is all I'm saying."_

" _Yea, well they pay you to do a job, not do math." Bo grumbled._

 _The Nurse stood, "Well, if the great Stick Dennis has decided to surrender to a little cramping, maybe she's not as legendary as everyone claims."_

" _Get out." Bo spat._

" _As soon as I see that blood pressure come down."_

" _I said, get out!" Her voice raised a bit more._

" _As soon as I've done my job."_

 _Bo sat up, her eyes filled with anger, "I said get the fuck out of my room!"_

 _The Nurse stepped back as the phone flew across the room, taking out the TV screen. Bo laid back, closing her eyes and putting an arm over her face,_

" _Fuck."_

" _A brilliant response." The Nurse said, picking up Bo's chart, "You have a visitor."_

" _Who is it."_

 _The Nurse smirked, "I'm paid as a Nurse, not your Secretary. You're decent, not cramping and awake. Visiting hours are open and you are no longer on a restricted floor. The guards have cleared the visitor, so I'm sending them in. They're kind enough to visit your foul-mouthed, foul-mooded ass, so try not to throw anything at them."_

 _Bo sighed, beginning to speak, but she sucked back the breath. She should apologize... why didn't she?_

" _Bo?"_

 _Fuck._

" _Bo?"_

 _The General removed her arm from her face and sighed, pushing herself up to a seated position before opening her eyes to see Lauren cleaning up the glass beneath the broken TV. Bo sighed,_

" _You don't have to do that."_

 _Lauren picked up the phone and held it up towards Bo, "Did this suddenly sprout wings and fly through the TV screen?"_

 _Bo smirked, "It didn't like the weather forecast."_

 _Nodding, the blonde moved to the nightstand and reconnected the phone, picking it up to be sure there was a dial tone,_

" _Wow. It held up under the crash. Wish I could build a plane that well."_

 _Bo looked up at Lauren, "What's that supposed to mean."_

 _Lauren cocked her head to the side as she sat down, "Nothing. Engineer humor."_

 _Bo nodded, sitting back in her bed... the silence engulfing the room. This had become their new norm. Lauren would come, they'd sit in silence. Lauren would try to make small talk. Bo responded with yes or no answers. Lauren would excuse herself to get something to eat. Bo would lay back and pray to fall asleep before she returned. If she didn't, she often feigned sleep to avoid conversation. Still, Lauren stayed. She'd read, do puzzles or watch TV. Well, TV was off the table now._

" _So, how was physical therapy?"_

 _Bo slid down into the bed, 'Here we go,' she thought._

" _Fine." Bo replied._

" _You know, I was thinking..."_

' _That's dangerous... and new,' Bo thought, "About what?" Bo asked._

" _You seem very... angry... lately."_

 _Bo froze._

" _Is it something I did or said?" Lauren asked._

" _Not everything is about you, Lauren." Bo replied, regretting the statement as soon as it left her mouth._

 _Lauren scowled, "I didn't say it was. I was actually trying to ask if I was the cause of your anger. If I was, I wanted to try to make amends."_

 _Bo wanted to hold her tongue... she really, really did... but that anger the blonde was mentioning flared out of control and before she knew it, her mouth was spewing out a thoughtless response,_

" _Make amends? For what? For restarting the project that killed my Father? For putting me in the X-2 Starfighter so that I'd suffer the first crash? For getting involved in a military operation you were completely unqualified to be a part of? For being too afraid to jump from the bedroom window at the Farmhouse so that my departure was delayed and I got fucking shot? For not being able to get the prototype from your ex faster leaving me like fucking this?"_

 _The phone flew across the room again, this time taking out the mirror to the right of the broken TV. Lauren jumped, her hands flying up in front of her fearful face when the Nurse came running into the room. The blonde took a deep breath and waved her off. The Nurse hesitated until she saw Lauren stand,_

" _I'm okay. Please. Go."_

 _She nodded and made an exit, pausing in the door to give Lauren one last chance to ask for assistance. The blonde picked up the phone, reconnecting it and placing it on the nightstand once again. She moved to the floor and proceeded to pick up the broken pieces of the mirror._

" _Lauren, leave it. You don't have to do that." Bo replied._

" _Well, it's not fair for the Nurse to have to clean it up, Bo. It's also not the job of the maintenance workers to clean up after your temper tantrums."_

" _Temper tantrums?" Bo asked, sitting up in bed._

" _Yes. Your temper is out of control. You're acting like a petulant child."_

" _Oh, is that so?"_

 _Lauren tossed the pieces into the trash can and gave the hand sanitizer dispenser a few pumps. As she worked the substance into her hands, she looked up at Bo,_

" _It is. Bo, I think we need to consult a therapist. I've been here when you've woken up startled. I know the look – I went through it myself. You're suffering from PTSD and you need help."_

" _I do not have PTSD." Bo replied, her arms crossing defensively over her head._

 _Lauren pulled on the sides of her sweater, wrapping it tightly around her torso with her arms and replied, "Bo, I'm pretty sure you do. In my experience as a physician..."_

" _You're not a doctor. You're an engineer."_

" _Bo, I am a licensed physician..."_

" _Yea, well tell that to my legs." Bo replied._

 _Lauren closed her eyes and nodded, a sad grin spreading across her face, "Maybe that is my fault, but it doesn't change the fact that you need help."_

" _I'm fine."_

" _Bo, you're not fine. Kenzi and Tamsin told you..."_

" _Don't mention their names."_

" _Bo, like me they just want you to get the help you need." Lauren urged._

" _When this fucking trial is over and those bastards are behind bars, I'll be fine." Bo replied._

" _I don't think you will. It's not weak to ask for help, Bo. Sometimes it takes more strength to do that than to throw a damn phone through a TV or a mirror."_

 _Bo went to pick up the phone, but Lauren was too quick, her hand covering Bo's and pressing down hard before the General could throw it._

" _Bo."_

" _Lauren."_

" _Bo, I just want..."_

" _I don't care what you want. How about we do what I want for a change? Not what the Nurse wants. Not what the doctor wants. Not what the physical therapist wants. Not what fucking Evony wants! Not what the fucking Judges want! Not what that asshole fucking J.A.G. Defense chicken shit wants and not what any of those cock suckers who fucking killed my Father want! What do you say you all just kiss my jet jockey ass and leave me the fuck alone!"_

 _The phone sailed across the room, taking out the window of her room. Tears filled angry eyes as she turned to Lauren and yelled,_

" _Get out! Get out! Get out! Just leave me the fuck alone! Everyone just leave me the fuck alone!"_

 _The Military Police ran in and restrained Bo, pushing Lauren back a few steps. She watched in horror as the pilot struggled against their effort, the Nurse running in,_

" _Careful! Keep her back aligned and watch her head." The Nurse hit the button at Bo's bedside, leading another Nurse to enter, "Get Doctor Peters, STAT!"_

" _I've already called him Jilly." The Nurse responded._

 _Moments later the doctor was in the room. He turned to the Nurse and spat out instructions that Lauren could barely hear. Her hands covered her mouth as she fell back against the wall, tears streaming down her face. She watched the Nurse hand the Doctor a syringe. She knew Bo was going to lose her mind when she saw it, but the MP's held her firmly until she sagged back into the bed. The Doctor turned to Lauren,_

" _You'd better call that Special Agent of yours. She may not be in court tomorrow."_

" _Doctor Peters, she needs..."_

 _He nodded, waving his hand, "The Head of our Psychiatry Department will be here tomorrow. This can't happen again – not without the risk of re-injuring her head and spinal column. Doctor Lewis, we've begun to heal her body, but it will not continue to heal unless we begin to heal her mind."_

 _Lauren gathered her breath, "Agreed. And, despite her absence, I can assure you her sister agrees as well."_

 _The Doctor nodded, "I will require her sisters' signature of consent. I do not believe the General is in any condition to make medical decisions for herself."_

 _Lauren's eyes went wide, "Doctor, you cannot declare her mentally incompetent!"_

" _Doctor Lewis, I have no choice. You saw her response to your visit and you hardly project an image of a person who would intentionally say or do something to deserve such a reaction." Lauren replied._

" _Doctor Peters, Special Agent Evony Fleurette Marquis is here."_

 _The Doctor turned to the Nurse, "Send her in, please."_

 _Evony entered the room, her eyes traveling over the scene before her. She looked at the broken TV, the broken mirror and the broken window before returning her focus to Lauren,_

" _Well, someone is apparently having a bad day."_

 _Lauren rolled her eyes, "I believe we should speak in private, Doctor."_

" _Of course." He nodded, clearing the room before Lauren spoke to Evony again,_

" _Doctor Peters was just saying he felt the General is mentally incapable of making decisions for herself right now."_

 _Evony's eyes went wide, "If you think she is mentally incompetent right now, you will have to admit her permanently to a mental hospital if you take this case away from her. She has waited more than a decade to see justice done for her Father!"_

 _The Doctor stared between the two women, clearly out of the loop on why they were all here in the first place._

" _Oh for crying out loud, is there no rumor mill in Canada?"_

 _Doctor Peters looked shocked, "Madame, I would not think of gossiping about my patients, nor would I allow my staff to..."_

" _Oh, yadda, yadda, yadda. Fine. You're no fun." She sighed and began to tell the Doctor only what he needed to know to understand Bo's situation and how declaring her incompetent would send her mental state plummeting into darkness. When she finished, he stood still, eyes downcast as he worked through options of how to proceed,_

" _Special Agent..."_

" _Evony, please."_

 _He nodded, "Evony, I cannot see how she will be able to enter court tomorrow. I had to give her a very strong sedative. Now, she has proven to be quite resilient and resistant to most drugs, however I must caution you that with this particular drug, she may appear..."_

" _Out of it?" Evony asked._

 _The Doctor nodded, "At best."_

" _Terrific." Evony replied, sarcastically._

 _Lauren interjected, "If I may, the Judge is aware of the General's injuries. Are they still open to her absence on that condition?"_

 _Evony shrugged her shoulders, "The Judge? Yes. The Defense? I'm sure he'd find a way to make even the legend look bad."_

 _Lauren chuckled, "Are you saying you aren't capable of beating him at his own game?"_

 _Evony laughed, "Darling, you should no better than to question the skill of my tongue."_

 _The blonde blushed, tugging at the collar of her button-down before moving her eyes to Bo, "Then it's settled. We bring in the Psychiatrist to get a diagnosis and begin counseling. She'll agree to it if it's a condition of the military and her discharge. I'll talk to General Walker and get him to sign off on it. That will leave her sister out of it so that no more damage is done to their relationship. Evony will handle the fallout of her absence from court for tomorrow."_

 _Both agreed and went their separate ways leaving Lauren alone in the room. She took a seat next to the bed and watched the slow rise and fall of her General's chest. Just as she closed her eyes, the door to Bo's room opened, revealing an Orderly, four maintenance workers and a custodian,_

" _Ma'am. Sorry to disturb you, but we've been instructed to take the General to another room while repairs are done on... ohmagosh."_

 _Lauren sighed, "Thank you. Can I go with her?"_

 _He pulled his eyes from the hole in the window to reply, "Of course. The two military guys are coming with as well. It should only take them about two hours. If they can't fix the window, we have a room not far from some of the other guys in her unit... not that I'm saying she's a guy... I mean..."_

 _Lauren smiled, "I know what you mean." She turned to the other workers, "Thank you."_

 _The men were both scratching their heads, caps in hand as they stared at the floor and small shards of glass still littering the floor,_

" _Ma'am." The man replied, "I'm not sure we have a TV that will fit in that bracket."_

 _Lauren nodded, "It would be fine if you can't replace it."_

 _The man nodded, "I would suspect that would be best."_

" _Mirror as well." Lauren replied._

" _Removing all glass. Got it." The man smiled._

" _Your discretion is appreciated." Lauren replied._

 _The Orderly unlocked the wheels on Bo's bed, "Well, if she was half as bad off as her unit, she's earned the right to bust up her room a bit. Looks like they were in quite a battle. Word has it she's some kind of war hero. Flies jets they say."_

 _Lauren looked fondly at Bo, "She is and she does. Again, thank you all."_

 _The men nodded and got to work, leading the Orderly to push Bo's bed from the room. Lauren assisted, taking the back end of the bed._

 _ **Present Day, Courtroom...**_

Bo felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see the Military Police stationed at the back of the courtroom standing by her side,

"Ma'am. I'm sorry to disturb you, but you'll have to take the stand as ordered by the Judge."

Bo nodded, adjusting her uniform before taking her canes in hand, "Sorry. I was admiring the view and must have gotten lost in thought."

He smiled a kind smile, "You've spent a lot of weeks cooped up inside, so I totally understand. It could happen to anyone."

Bo smiled and nodded before moving forward towards the front of the courtroom. Once seated, the Judge spoke,

"I'd remind you, General Dennis, that you are still under oath."

"Understood, your Honor." Bo replied.

"Proceed." The Judge ordered.

"New evidence has found your DNA in the basement at the Farmhouse not far from the body of former Naval Aviator, Captain Sarah Hanes."

He waited for a response from Bo, but none came. She sat, stoically, waiting for a question. The truth was, she was tired of this. The truth was, she was surrendering... to everything bad that had ever happened in her life and to anything bad that may come from this trial. She felt... defeated.

"Can you explain how your DNA came to be in a room that you claim you had not entered?" He asked in an accusatory tone.

Bo turned to the court stenographer, "Maybe you'd like to have her read back the statement where I made that claim, because I'm absolutely positive I never made that statement."

"Are you sure?"

Bo smirked, "Are you? It was your statement, not mine."

"Your Honor..."

The Judge cut him off, "Colonel Mackey, you have not asked the witness a question that would be deserving of a direct answer, so please do not ask me to treat her as hostile. It would seem your line of questioning and the recall of this witness to the stand are the only things bordering on hostile at this point. Carry on."

He sighed, turning back to Bo, "Were you in the basement on the night in question?"

"When?" Bo asked.

She chuckled internally when the officer's eyebrow knit together, but he persisted, "On the alleged portion of the attack when the grenade allegedly thrown at you by the Captain incapacitated you."

Out of the corner of her eye, Bo could see a smile break across the faces of Ryan and Evony, leading to her own smile breaking as well,

"I was definitely in the basement at that moment... not allegedly."

A chuckled came from the juror's box, drawing the ire of Mackey, but he retrained his eyes on Bo, "And it was there that Sarah Hanes allegedly tossed the grenade at you?"

Bo shrugged, "As you previously mentioned, yes."

He nodded, pacing back and forth in front of Bo before he stopped and looked back at her, "How do we know it wasn't you who tossed the grenade at Sarah, injuring yourself in the process?"

Bo scowled, "Are you suggesting that I tossed a grenade away from myself and it somehow flew back at me to explode and leave me looking like a gutted fish?"

"I wasn't there. You tell me how it happened."

Bo frowned, her mind instantly filling with the images she had tried desperately to forget.

 _ **Flashback...**_

 _Bo took her stance about fifteen feet from Sarah, the P-90 she retrieved from one of the dead assault team members drawn and pointed at her target. The Captain held a grenade in one hand while her other finger was holding on to the ring attached to the pin._

' _So... the great Stick Dennis – pilot extraordinaire. What are you gonna do now, huh?'_

' _I don't want to hurt you, Sarah, but I'll do what I have to do.' Bo replied._

' _Well, then I guess we have ourselves a good old-fashioned stand off... sort of.'_

' _Sort of?' Bo asked._

 _Sarah laughed, a sick, demented laugh. Her eyes were wild as if she didn't have a care in the world,_

' _Well, unlike you who has a sister, that pretty little blonde lover and a world of military support who absolutely adore the legendary pilot, I have absolutely nothing to lose. Did you know my Daddy sent me on this mission because he knew I would never fail him – even if it meant sacrificing my life? Yup, that's dear old Dad. He would rather let his only daughter sacrifice himself than lose his chance at the great reward.'_

 _She stood, moving from the table towards Bo who raised her weapon closer to her eye, 'Stay where you are, Sarah or I will defend myself.'_

' _Against a woman holding a grenade who has none of what you have to lose? You know, I actually considered betraying my Father when we were holed up together. I thought maybe I could be the one to hook the great Stick Dennis, but I don't have any of those fancy initials behind my name now do I?'_

' _Initials don't matter, Sarah. What matters is your integrity. Doing the right thing. What your Father and the other Tops did to my Father was wrong and you know it. What they're doing to my unit and my Superiors right now is wrong and you know it. I don't know how much higher this goes, but it's wrong.'_

' _You forgot to say I know it.' She chuckled, looking down at the grenade, running her thumb back and forth along the metal ring, 'It goes all the way to the top, Bo. My Dad could be the Secretary of Defense and he'd be in line to be President after the others take their turns. Their plan is just crazy enough to work. If I die, can you imagine the sympathy votes he would get? Father of a female soldier killed in action?'_

' _You mean the ex-naval aviator killed in the process of trying to kill her own people under orders from her Father and a group of men who were committing treason.'_

 _Bo adjusted her grip, her finger tensing on the trigger as she saw Sarah stop, the muscles of her hand tensing as she tightened her grasp on the pin and grenade,_

' _I didn't want it to be this way Bo, but I've got no other choice.' Tears streamed down the Captain's face now as she spoke, 'I have nothing...'_

' _Sarah, it doesn't have to be this way. You DO have a choice. You can do the right thing and stand by me and my unit in court. You can be the hero this time.'_

 _Sarah laughed, 'How gracious of you. No matter what, I've attacked my own people and that Fed bitch will never let me go. I'm screwed and you know it.'_

' _I'll talk to her...'_

' _Oh please, Bo. You know there's nothing you can say. Feds always get their man... or in this case, woman. It's over. Right now, all that matters is who comes out of this alive. If I toss the grenade at you, maybe I can get behind that metal table and survive before you can put a bullet in my brain... maybe not. If I do, maybe Daddy will let me live, but it should be obvious to you by now that he hates loose ends. That's how I got into this mess to begin with. I thought he was all honorable and shit... then I was given an ultimatum. Still, the way I see it, my best odds of staying alive is taking my chances with Daddy. Let's find out.'_

 _Bo winced when her face was suddenly covered with blood and tissue. She wiped her eyes and allowed them to settle on the familiar tall figure lowering a gun, as a smirk spread across the soldier's face. The familiar tone and words sounding in her ears,_

' _Daddy said no loose ends.'_

 _Sick laughter followed before Bo's eyes traveled to Sarah's body hitting the concrete floor - the back of her head now nothing but a large gaping hole. Bo looked up in realization that the former Captain and Naval Aviator was not only killed at the hands of a member of her own team, but a friend as well - a friend who had agreed to carry out the kill order from Sarah's own Father._

' _You sick bastard,' was all Bo managed before the sound of metal bouncing and rolling across the floor drew her gaze to a spot about five feet in front of her where the grenade Sarah had been holding was now rolling towards her... almost as if in slow motion. She tried to turn and get her feet towards the blast, but the last thing she remembered was the sound of laughter coming from the shooter as searing hot pain ran through her torso and across her skin, a bright white light stealing her vision until everything went black._

 **Present Day...**

Bo closed her eyes tightly, forcing the moment to remain in the front of her mind. She could feel the burning, melting flesh, the deep force of the concussion ripping through her abdomen and... something else... a scorching hot pain across her upper back and a stabbing pain in her chest. Had there been a second grenade or blast of some sort? Had another shot been fired just before the explosion? The General quickly lowered her head as a wave of nausea overtook her, forcing her to waver in her seat. She gripped the wood frame of the banister in front of her, steadying herself. She swallowed hard to stop the contents of her stomach from spilling into the courtroom at the memory of the sickening sight of Sarah's head hitting the concrete and the seemingly satisfied grin of her killer.

"General Dennis?"

It took Bo a moment, but she finally opened her eyes and searched the room for the location of the voice.

"General Dennis."

The Judge. It was the Judge. She turned towards him, "Apologies, your Honor."

He gave her a nod, looking towards Evony who was studying the General. She gave the Judge a shake of her head, signaling she wanted to attempt to continue, so the Judge pressed,

"General, do you have anything else to offer about that night?"

Bo looked up at Evony, then back at the Judge, "Excuse me?"

"I asked if you had anything else to offer about that night."

Bo looked up to see Lauren's hand crossed over her chest, signaling in their private sign language.

' _Y.O.U. T.O.L.D.'_

Bo was confused. Had she actually verbalized everything that she had just said? She hadn't been able to tell anyone what had happened. Hell, she'd barely been able to see it herself.

"General Dennis, this court demands an answer."

She shook out her thoughts, before looking at the Judge, "She was completely convinced that she had no recourse but to kill me. She was completely convinced that her Father, Admiral Ward Hanes, wanted the job done regardless of whether Sarah was dead or alive in the end."

Bo looked up, making eye contact with the Admiral, "So no, I did not throw the grenade at myself and no, I did not shoot soon enough to prevent her from throwing the grenade at me. I waited, wanting to give her every second... every opportunity to secure the pin and lower the grenade, but she didn't. I waited... she released the grenade, but I never fired."

She looked up at Evony, "The images from the basement demonstrate what I witnessed. I was face to face with Sarah. If I'd fired the weapon I picked up, she would have been hit at two sites - the frontal lobe and center mass. I know how to fire lethal shots and have done so in combat. Sarah's wound was from a much larger caliber weapon. She was shot in the back of her head by the man I saw standing just behind her before I fired my weapon. The man whose job it was to wipe out any witnesses – including the Captain. No loose ends – it's the way they work."

"General, if you would please answer only the questions you are asked."

"Why? Because if I say more it will incriminate your clients?" Bo asked.

"General Dennis." The Judge cautioned.

Bo turned to the General, "I'm sorry, your Honor, but aren't we here to see justice done?"

The Judge nodded, "I suppose we are."

"Your Honor! May I remind you that your job is to be an impartial observer to these proceedings."

The Judge raised his voice as he pointed his pen towards Mackey, "And may I remind you, Mr. Mackey that another outburst like that and I will hold you in contempt of course. I might also remind you that it is _your_ job to seek the truth. We have been here for a month. You pressed to have this witness return to the stand under the guise of new evidence, but we have seen none. I now suspect that it was your hope that she could remember none of the events of the evening in question. If she remembered nothing, you felt it may be just the loophole you'd need to have the case against at least one of your clients thrown out. Well, I'm not convinced and it IS my job to be sure that the whole truth and nothing but the truth is heard, so help me God!"

The Judge sighed, collecting himself, "Do you have any further questions for this witness?"

Mackey resigned himself to the fact that he was not going to get a confused and flustered Bo as he'd expected, so he retreated to his seat,

"No, your Honor."

"Prosecution."

"Cross, your Honor?" Evony asked.

"Approach."

Evony gave Bo a small smile, "Just a bit longer, General, then you may take your leave."

Bo nodded.

"Do you remember who the tall person was who fired the shot at Sarah from behind? I believe you said they spoke the words, 'Daddy said no loose ends' just after firing."

"Objection! A third soldier has not been confirmed, and if he was present, there is no proof that he is the one who fired the fatal shot."

Evony smirked, "First, many soldiers have been confirmed present on the property and in the building. Second, I don't believe General Dennis mentioned a gender... yet." She turned to Bo, "Did you?"

Bo nodded, "I did not. As a matter of fact, I was very careful not to."

"Overruled." The Judge replied.

Evony continued, "Once again, General, if you please. Can you identify the person who shot Captain Sarah Hanes?"

Bo nodded.

Evony asked, "Is he in this courtroom today?"

Bo looked over to the box and nodded.

"And can you give us his name and point him out to us?" Evony asked.

Bo nodded once again, "Yes." Pointing, she declared, "His name is Colonel Dyson Thornwood and he is seated there, next to Admiral Hanes."

Evony smiled and nodded, "That's quite the coincidence. So you're saying that the Colonel shot and killed the daughter of the Admiral he is now seated beside right now?"

"I am." Bo replied.

Pacing away from the General and towards the Jury, Evony asked, "I am sure that reliving this experience is not an easy task."

Bo nodded.

"From previous testimony by Doctor Andrews, Air Force Psychiatrist, we are all well aware of the signs of someone reliving a traumatic event. Your dazed yet focused appearance seems to indicate you were just in the midst of a flashback. Is that so?"

Bo looked up at Evony, her jaw set as her anger flared at her for asking the question, but still the petite woman persisted,

"You suffer from PTSD, is that correct?"

Bo looked down at her hands as she answered, "I'm not a Psychiatrist."

Evony nodded, walking to Bo, "Can you tell the court if Doctor Andrews diagnosed these flashbacks as a symptom of PTSD?"

Bo looked up at Evony, her anger more apparent now, "He did."

"While the court heard a good deal of what you were remembering when you went into a sort of trance a minute ago, we need to be sure that you are clear on what you were seeing. Can you tell us again about the moments just before the explosion?"

Bo's eyes traveled over to the jury, then to her unit before finally landing on Lauren who used their sign language to signal her,

' _She needs this to win.'_

Lauren nodded, but Bo's eyes were downcast again.

The Judge spoke, "The court is ordering you to respond, General."

Bo looked up at the Judge whose eyes were sympathetic yet demanding all at once. She straightened up in her seat and gave him a nod, tugging at her collar as she turned back to Evony. She took a deep breath and then allowed her gaze to travel to Dyson's face, the same sick smirk playing out across his features.

'That bastard.' She thought, 'Come on, Bo. Hanes and Thornwood put Sarah in an impossible situation. Time for paybacks.'

She turned to Evony, "Sarah told me how her Father, Admiral Hanes, had coerced her into working with his unit of assassins. I tried to get her to reconsider siding with my unit, but she felt she had a better chance of surviving with her Father because she was sure you would pursue the death penalty."

Evony nodded, "When you say you, do you mean me, personally?"

Bo nodded, "She was aware you were on the case. I'm not sure how. She didn't go into any details, but she was definitely aware of your investigation from what she said to me in that basement."

"Noted." Evony smiled, knowing she had just made a connection to the murders of the two messengers. Clearly, they had been tracking the investigation, so there was a mole at the F.B.I. or another top security branch.

"Sarah was holding a grenade as we spoke. Her hand was shaking. I had my weapon trained on her chest at point blank range. We were talking... she was hysterical... she didn't want to kill me, but her Father gave her no choice. He had a saying..."

Bo looked up at the jury and then to her team of witnesses, "Anyone who ever worked under Admiral Hanes has heard him say it... no loose ends."

She turned back to Evony who asked, "What was that supposed to mean?"

Bo replied, "Finish every mission and make sure that no one can come after you or testify if the mission wasn't clean."

"Are you saying you ran unsanctioned missions for the Admiral?" Evony asked.

"I followed orders... sanctioned or not... until the day I walked onto base as a Test Pilot."

"Some would say that you didn't follow orders because of your Father." Evony suggested.

Bo shook her head, "I didn't follow the orders of General Green because he was clearly mentally compromised."

"OBJECTION! General Dennis is not a Psychiatrist!" Mackey shouted.

Evony laughed, "Seriously? Doctor Andrews has already confirmed that General Green was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in his testimony. General Dennis may not be a licensed Psychiatrist, but her assessment was dead on. May I also remind you that military officers are given training in recognizing signs and symptoms of problems with mental fitness to assess their soldiers in the field."

"Overruled."

Satisfied, Evony turned back to Bo, "So what did you do?"

"I trusted General Walker's judgment. He was the superior officer on base."

"But General Green was your direct superior."

"Yes, until General Walker assumed command when he witnessed General Green's lack of sound judgment."

Evony nodded, "Very well. So, to get back to the events of that evening, you mentioned Sarah felt she would be given the death penalty if she came as a witness for the prosecution."

Bo nodded, "She was convinced. She still felt certain that her Father would have her killed because of his obsession with no loose ends."

Evony nodded, "And did you believe her?"

Bo did agree, "Yes, but I still tried to convince her that the timing was right for her to come with us and escape before he could have her killed."

"But that wasn't the case."

Bo shook her head, "My eyes were trained on her, so I didn't see Colonel Thornwood until he stepped just a bit to her right. That's why I saw him out of the corner of my eye just before..."

Bo's eyes went wide, her mind racing with the images of the moment. Evony called her name several times, the courtroom filling with murmurs about the look on the witness' face before the judges' gavel brought Bo out of her trance. Her head snapped up at the judge, her eyes flooded with tears as she spoke directly to him,

"Single shot. Back of the head. Blood in my face. Wiped my eyes. He was laughing. He said, no loose ends. Sarah's body fell. I saw... she had... her head... no skull... blood... everywhere."

Evony's hand on Bo's forearm caused her to open her eyes. She hadn't even realized she'd shut them.

"He... killed her... and he laughed about it. He followed a kill order from Admiral Hanes for his own daughter."

She looked up at the judge, "Who does that? Who orders their own daughter killed? What soldier would follow that order? And Thornwood. His son was there. He attacked, and he knew his son was there. They're... they're monsters! Who would do those things to kids?"

Admiral Hanes jumped out of his seat and shouted, "YOU, DENNIS! YOU FOLLOWED MY ORDER WHEN I HAD YOU DROP A BOMB ON A HOUSE WITHOUT CONFIRMATION OF A KNOWN TERRORIST INSIDE! YOU DID THE SAME DAMN THING! YOU KILLED AN ENTIRE FAMILY!"

The Admiral laughed as both Dyson and Secretary Marshall tried to hold him back.

Bo's eyes went wide at the Admiral's admission. She looked at Evony, "He told me it was a terrorist. He told me... they shot me down and took me hostage... they told me... I didn't believe them... they tortured me... I told them nothing... they... I... I killed their... oh my... I... I should have died there... I deserved to die there."

She looked up to see the Admiral laughing hysterically while a group of men tried to push him back into his seat. In the back of her mind, she knew the judge was banging his gavel, but once again, something in her just snapped,

"YOU SICK, FUCK! FIRST YOU KILL MY FATHER AND GOD KNOWS HOW MANY OTHER PILOTS..."

"ORDER! ORDER! SEARGENT-AT-ARMS remove the Admiral from the courtroom at once."

He turned to Bo, "Soldier? Did you serve the military as dictated by your Oath, following the orders of your Superiors in any and all missions as assigned?"

Bo nodded, "I did Sir, but..."

"No buts, General. Thank you for your service. You are dismissed."

"But..."

Evony intervened, "General, please step down from the witness box. We have business to attend to."

She helped Bo from the box, handing her the canes she needed to take the steps, then handed her off to Ryan who had stepped up to help. When Bo looked up again, she noticed Lauren, Kenzi and Tamsin all standing behind the bench with Doctor Andrews just behind them. She knew she was in trouble. Nothing was clear anymore. Nothing made sense. Nothing.

Seeing Bo being escorted from the courtroom, Evony spoke quickly, "Your honor, seeing as the defense is out of reliable witnesses, I believe it prudent that the counter charges against my clients be dismissed and that we move to have the jury rule on the charges against the defendants based on testimony already provided."

The judge nodded, "I believe the evidence speaks for itself. Colonel Mackey, do you have any objections?"

Sighing, the officer lowered his eyes, "None, Your Honor."

"Very well. Distinguished members of the jury, it is now up to you to decide what should happen to the defendants in this case. General Gregory Worley, you are the assigned Foreman of the jury. Do you or your members have any need of either team prior to the start of your deliberations?"

Gregory turned to face the members of his jury, surveying all of their faces before turning back to the Judge,

"No, Sir."

"Very well. You may retire to the deliberation room. Attorneys for both sides will make themselves available should any additional documentation be requested by the jury. General Gregory, this panel of Judges will also make themselves available at your request."

Gregory nodded, "Thank you, Your Honor."

The judge nodded before banging his gavel twice, "Court is in recess until such time as the jury has concluded their deliberations."

He banged the gavel twice again before the Seargent-At-Arms announced,

"All rise."

Everyone stood as the long line of Judges filed from the courtroom, then relaxed and began talking amongst themselves as the filed out.

Stevens was first to ask, "Specter, is Stick gonna be alright?"

Specter shrugged, "I don't know, Stevens. They messed with her head real good... but she's got all of us in her corner, right?"

"Sure does." Stevens replied.

Martin walked up to the group, "Sketch asked me to tell you that they're all having a late-night meal in the hospital cafeteria. She can make not promises that your General will be there, but she hopes that you'll all attend."

Specter eyed the group before turning back to Martin, "We'll be there, Marty. Do we still have the guard dogs watching our every move?"

He nodded, "Until these men and women are behind bars and the full complement of those involved are brought to justice, you'll be in protective custody, yes. Of course, Sketch invited all of the guard dogs as well, so they shouldn't be a problem."

Stevens smiled, "Nah. They're actually really cool now that they've loosened up and realized that if anyone did attack us, we aren't about to let them take a bullet for any of us."

Martin nodded before turning to walk away, a smile on his face.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Hospital Cafeteria**_

Madeline and Francine were both in the cafeteria dining room serving up potpies for the entire gang. For the first time in almost a year, Lauren could feel the mood was lighter, despite Bo's absence from the festivities. They hadn't won... not yet... but everyone knew that the outburst from the Admiral had pretty much sealed his fate. Evony and Ryan had explained a few more details about the case, particularly what would happen to Bo because of her admission she'd carried out unsanctioned missions.

Evony and Ryan had explained that unsanctioned missions could also mean off-the-book missions, which happen all the time. If the Admiral were found guilty, which she was confident he would be, Bo would be safe from any potential repercussions.

After the food was gone and the wine bottles empty, except for what was left in each person's glass, Evony stood from her seat near the head of the table,

"I've left this seat empty despite the presence of some high-ranking members of this team to honor the woman who pulled all of this together, but was unable to be with us tonight. Stick assembled a fine group of men and women who were all able to come together, willing to lay not only their careers – but their lives on the line as well - to expose corruption at the highest levels of our military and government. I wish that we could publish a grand editorial in every newspaper across our nation to tell the American people exactly what you've all done to secure their democracy, but sadly, we cannot."

She turned to the Canadian soldiers and doctors, "I wish I could do the same for you fine men and women as well... God knows you all deserve it for all you've done for us, but again, secrecy and confidentiality are a part of our professions."

Sighing, she allowed her gaze to run the length of the length of tables, "I know that I was less than forthcoming through this process... and quite... rigid. I hope that you will accept my apologies. Forming... attachments... is not a luxury I have in this job, but please know that every single one of you got to me despite my very thick and long-crafted walls. I have never known a finer group of men and women. I thank you."

She held up her glass, "A toast, if you will."

Everyone stood, raising their glasses with hers, "To General Ysabeau Stick Dennis, our fearless leader, master planner and courageous fighter – whether in a cockpit, barn, Farmhouse or courtroom. May she recover to lead more soldiers to follow in her fight to defend freedom in our nation and around the globe."

As everyone shouted, in response, a strong voice was heard not far from the table. Everyone turned to see Bo standing on her own, canes planted firmly beneath her,

"To those willing to enter the fray no matter the cost. To those willing to fight to put them back together. To those willing to protect even those not of their nation... may you always have clear skies and a safe landing."

Everyone lifted their glasses towards Bo, shouting, "Here here!"

They all drank before moving towards the General, Specter and Stevens first to her side to help her to her seat at the head of the table. They all moved back to their seats, anticipating her next words. Bo smiled before she spoke,

"So, did you guys save me one of those potpies I've been hearing so much about or do I have to send my guards out for take-out?" Bo asked, laughing as she waved her personal guards out of the corner by the door to the table.

Lauren went to stand, but as she turned, she noticed her two newest Canadian friends were already approaching the table with a tray,

Madeline spoke first, "So, you must be the General we've been hearing so much about from these clowns."

Bo laughed, "Clowns? Are they giving you a hard time?"

Francine smiled, "Hard time? Of course not, General. These fine men and women are giving us more laughter than we've had in years. If I had to come back to this God-awful place, I'm certainly glad it was to encounter some of the most amazing military men and women I've ever met."

She leaned down, whispering to Bo, "Most of your sort are so damned stuffy and pretentious."

Bo spat out her water, causing Lauren to stand, but the brunette waved her off, "I'm fine. Your friend here just made me choke on my water. I suppose this is Francine?" She asked of Lauren.

"In the flesh." Francine replied proudly before Lauren could reply, "How'd you know?"

Bo laughed, looking at Lauren, "Direct was an understatement."

Francine looked between the two, hands on her hips, but Madeline intervened, "Direct is a polite descriptor for my sister if that's the one you used, Lauren."

Bo smiled as the woman filled her water glass, "It was one of the descriptors she used. I take it you're Madeline?"

The woman nodded, wiping her hand before she offered it to Bo. The General smiled as she accepted, surprised at the strength of the grip she received,

"Thank you for feeding everyone while they were forced to remain here in the hospital."

Madeline nodded, "Well, it all came together when my sister showed up telling me her husband had been taken in the middle of the night for some top-secret military trial. I knew you all must have been important to keeping North America safe. No matter what side which country you're from, danger is danger when nothing but a line on a map separates us."

Bo nodded, "I think we can agree on that point. Still, you didn't have to go out of your way for them and you did. That's at least deserving of thanks."

She turned to Francine, "Your husband was taken in the middle of the night?"

Evony interrupted, "Bo, you can't tell her."

Bo looked at Evony and then back to Francine, "What is your husband's name?"

"Gregory. Retired General Gregory Worley."

Evony sat up straight, looking at Bo, "The Foreman."

Bo nodded, looking back to Francine, but Evony interrupted again, "Bo..."

She looked at Evony, "It's okay."

Turning back to Francine, she smiled, "He's almost finished. He's in session with the other jurors right now. Hopefully, it won't take too long for him to finish. You'll have him back safe and sound very soon."

Francine visibly relaxed, clapping her hands together in front of her mouth, "Thank you, thank you, thank you! Those young soldiers grabbed him and brought him here without any explanation. Then they gave me money and dared to tell me to go home! We haven't been apart since he left active duty! Go home without him. How silly. Of course, I'm not leaving without him."

Madeline smiled, "She is, of course, happy that he could help you and yours with the little problem..." she turned to Francine and spoke, her eyes sending her a message that she should be grateful, "... that caused all of you to lay in your deathbed for WEEKS!"

Bo laughed, "It's quite all right, really."

Francine's eyes went wide, "Oh, I surely don't mean to sound ungrateful, dear."

"She's a General, Francine. Show some respect!" Maxine corrected.

Again, the other woman looked shocked, "A General? My, my! Women in my day would never have been granted such a prestigious title. I'm impressed."

Bo could only laugh again, "Thank you, I guess?"

The light mood was quickly ended when a military guard arrived in the cafeteria and handed Evony a note. All eyes were on the woman as she opened and read the message before looking up,

"The jury is back."

Specter immediately asked, "That was fast, right? Like... really fast."

Stevens added, "Is that good or bad?"

Evony smiled, "It was fast and that's usually good. Time to go everyone."

Everyone stood, straightening their uniforms before clearing their plates to the waste bins and following their respective guards out of the facility. Finally, only Evony, Ryan, Martin, Kenzi, Tamsin, Lauren and Bo remained. As the small group moved to join their guard, Lauren turned to find Bo still seated.

She placed a hand on Kenzi's arm, signaling her to look back. She sighed, "Do you want me to..."

Lauren shook her head, "I'll go. I need to keep trying to bridge this gap between us."

Evony spoke, "Or I could talk to her. She doesn't have to go, but for a woman of her rank and command, she really should to keep up appearances."

Lauren frowned, "Honestly, I only care about Bo right now. I could care less about appearances."

Evony replied, "What does Bo care about?"

Kenzi nodded, "She's got a point there, Sketch."

"Let me go." Tamsin said, "This is sort of my territory with Stick. Cool?"

Glances exchanged with no reply, Tamsin settled it herself, "I've got it. You guys head to the courthouse. We'll be right behind you... or I'll be right behind you."

Tamsin gave them a moment to make their exit before turning back to her friend, "So, Stick... we going to this thing or what?"

She sat down across from the General, grateful to see that her eyes were not glazed over like she was reliving some horrible memory. She looked... angry.

"Stick? Wanna share?"

Bo looked up, "I don't know if I can go back there, Rage."

"Look, Tops won't be impressed if the ranking General who started this shit-show isn't standing her post for the verdict. Now, does that matter to you or not?"

Bo sighed, "I'm not ready to make a decision about resigning."

"You're actually thinking about resigning?" Tamsin asked.

Bo shrugged, "It's on the table."

"Look. It's been a tough haul on this one. I don't think any of us would blame you – or be surprised – if you quit. But how would you feel about yourself down the line if you didn't follow through on at least this last mission?"

"Shitty."

Tamsin nodded, "So... are we going then?"

Bo sighed again, "Fine. But you're gonna have to give me a seat belt."

Tamsin smirked, "I'll give you a belt, so I can have at those assholes myself."

She helped her friend stand, handing her the canes, "What's the Doc say about these canes?"

Bo shrugged, "He's not saying right now because all of this court time is messing with my recovery. He said once this is over and I'm back to the routine he wants me on, we'll see."

"We'll see, huh? Don't you hate when doctors say that shit? See what? What does that even mean?"

"I don't know, Rage. I just don't know."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Two Weeks Later, Arlington National Cemetery**_

The door of the limo opened to reveal General Walker, General Dennis and Admiral Burke. The three straightened their uniforms, donning their caps before Bo led the pace, a single cane in hand. Due to Bo's physical limitations, they had been driven to the gravesites rather than process with the parade and horse-drawn caissons. She immediately made her way to the leader of the funeral battalion.

"Colonel Dawson." Bo said, giving Specter a salute before the two shook hands, "Good to see you again."

"Likewise, General."

"Are the troops ready to go?"

Specter nodded, "As ready as we'll ever be. This is a tough one, General."

She nodded, her eyes surveying the line of caskets, "It is, but we do this to honor them as they deserve. Keep that in mind in the toughest moments. All of these families wanted their loved ones to be buried here – together - rather than close to home where they could visit them. It's that gesture that proves their support of the sacrifice they made. The least we can do is to provide a ceremony deserving of their honor."

He smiled, eyes lowered, "Agreed. Believe me when I say that Bug probably has a cocky grin on his face as he lounges on a cloud above us. He's loving this. Still... I just mean..."

Bo nodded, "It's not the first time you'll lose soldiers, Colonel. If you intend to stay put as a SEAL Team Leader, you'll have to learn how to cope."

"How do you cope?" He asked.

Bo sighed, grateful for the dark sunglasses hiding her teary eyes, "As cold and callous as this may sound, I've learned to distance myself and keep the job professional. Still, the more personal the job, the harder that is. Beyond that, you know my record. I've done a lot of solo missions so that only my life was on the line. Sometimes, going solo will result in mission failure, so you have to go in knowing this may be the result. Of course, you should never have to go up against your own people."

Specter nodded, "I don't think I'll ever get past this one."

"Giving up your command?" Bo asked.

He shrugged, "I'm not sure yet."

She nodded, "Do me a favor and call me before you do. I could use a man like you in my new command."

"New command? You're flying again?"

Bo shook her head, "Not exactly. Now's not the time. Just promise me you'll hear me out before you resign your commission."

He took the offered hand, giving it a firm shake, "You have my word."

She smiled, "Thank you. Let me get this line moving."

He nodded, allowing Bo to move on to where Major Cameron "Doc" Shore stood at attention, "Doc."

"General." He replied, offering his salute.

"How are you?"

"Still trying to figure this out, Ma'am."

She nodded, "Me too."

"How's Sketch?"

Bo hesitated, "I haven't seen her since that day in court. I suppose we'll see her today."

"Sorry to hear that, Ma'am."

"Sorry?" Bo asked.

"Well, I assumed you two would be... ya know... still a couple."

Bo nodded, "Yea, well... I've been working through my recovery. Sometimes the body is easier than the mind."

Doc smiled, "Well, with the things I've seen you do, I'm sure you'll work it all out."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Doc." Bo replied, shaking the man's hand before moving on.

"Airman Flanders. Thank you for being here."

The young Airman popped a salute, "It's my honor, General Dennis."

Bo smiled, "How's your Pop, Junior."

He relaxed a bit, "Grateful to be breathing on his own, Ma'am."

"Breathing on his own?" Bo asked, shocked.

He nodded, a wide grin covering his face, "I'd have thought Doctor Lewis would have told you. That new procedure they developed worked. His legs are still paralyzed, but he can breathe and has the use of three fingers on his right hand. They said that's the best it'll get, but he's taking it, Ma'am. They're still not sure his speech will return. He tries, but... well... he sounds like a drunk, Ma'am."

Bo chuckled, "Well, I'm sure your Mom is happy to hear his voice, drunk or not."

"She sure is, Ma'am. Me too."

"I'm sure. Well, thanks again for coming and please give my best to your parents."

"I'll do that, Ma'am. And Ma'am?"

"Yes, Airman?" Bo paused.

"Thank you for getting him out of there. Not all Generals would have gone back in." He said.

Bo nodded, "You're welcome, Junior. Take care."

She cringed, her eyes traveling over the caskets once more. Sure, the list of survivors was longer than the list of dead, but still... if only she had...

"General Dennis, it's an honor to meet you."

Bo didn't recognize the young soldier who stood at attention offering her a salute. She returned the gesture and then spoke,

"I'm sorry. I don't believe we've met Airman."

He nodded, "Of course. Apologies, Ma'am. My name is Airman 1st Class Aaron "Yogi" Evans. My sister was..."

Bo nodded, immediately recognizing the name, "Army Captain Samantha "Tiki" Evans. It appears I am the one who should be saying it's an honor to meet you, Airman."

"Why's that, Ma'am? I haven't done much of anything yet." He admitted.

"Do you know why your sister is being buried in Arlington, Aaron?" Bo asked.

He shrugged, "The duty officers that came to our house told us she was killed in action in a dispute over what was believed to be Russian airspace."

Bo nodded, wanting to maintain the cover story that was offered on the command of General Walker, "Yes, but what she was defending was an American cargo plane that was loaded with wounded soldiers. She flew her jet into the line of fire to save those onboard."

His eyes teared up, "I... damn, Sammy." He looked up at Bo, "I mean..."

Bo placed a firm hand on his shoulder, "It's okay, Airman. You've got to give yourself permission to mourn your sister. I'm sure the news is a shock. The reason I'm grateful is because I was one of the wounded on that cargo plane."

She wiped a tear that had escaped the cover of her glasses, "See? Generals cry too. Your sister saved my life. I wish I could do more than recommend her for a medal and arrange for her to be buried in this place of honor. I never would have wanted her to lay down her life for mine, but I'm grateful she did so for all of these soldiers standing with you today. Several of them were on that plane as well."

He stood proudly, "She did it right, huh?"

Bo nodded, "She did it very right, Airman."

"Thank you for telling me, Ma'am. Permission to tell my parents?" He asked.

Bo paused before she felt someone lean over her shoulder, "Permission granted, Son. Thank you, from a grateful nation."

She watched as General Walker offered the young soldier his hand. She shared a glance with her superior before moving on down the line. While she continued sharing niceties with the soldiers who would escort the caskets to their final resting places, her mind stayed on the only woman killed during this mission. She hadn't known Tiki well. She only knew that she was thought of as 'one of the guys'. The held her own in combat and had quickly earned the respect of her team as part of Project Resurrection. Hale had flown with her on several occasions and told Bo that while she looked all of twelve years old, she could fly the shit out of a jet.

For whatever reason, Bo just couldn't shake the wish that she had gotten to know her better. It would have been nice to fly with her... maybe then she could have understood why in the world she flew her jet into the line of fire, sacrificing her young life to save those on the cargo plane.

When they arrived at the front of the line, Bo took a moment at the first casket while Walker and Burke waited patiently behind her. Bo looked up to see Tamsin standing at attention on the opposite side of the casket in full salute. She returned the gesture before leaning down to place a kiss on the flag-covered box. She adjusted the flag, making sure the field of stars was over her Father's head and left shoulder, smoothing out a small wrinkle before she whispered,

"Now you can rest in peace in the place you deserved to be buried."

Bo moved to the front of the casket in front of the other Top Brass. General Walker came to stand to her left while Admiral Burke stood at her right. The Honor Guard began to move, leading the parade of deceased and mourners along the route to the burial plots. It was unusual to have a display such as this as the rules for burials at Arlington National Cemetery were rigid and never broken. However, there had never been a conspiracy in which government and military officials had assassinated military officers. Because of the manner of death – which was, of course – not fully disclosed to families - General Walker had argued the occasion deserving of whatever the families wanted. In the end, he had gotten his wish and the families had gotten theirs.

As they walked, Bo's mind went to the trial and news she'd received about the progress towards eliminating their military guards. She was grateful all of her people were being kept safe as they returned to their normal lives, but it was a bit stifling. Still, she was grateful to hear the progress. In the past two weeks, more than twenty new military and government officials had been brought up on charges. The conspiracy ran deeper than anyone had known... except maybe Evony and Ryan. The pair had been absent since the trial verdict came down convicting all of the accused of High Treason against the United States as well as six counts of murder in military courts and five counts of murder in civilian courts. All of them were now awaiting decisions as to whether or not they would receive consecutive life sentences or the death penalty.

For Bo, she could care less. They were off the streets and justice had been done. Today, they would bury their own and then she would finally go home. Where that was, she wasn't sure yet. She was on her way to a new job in a newly created program thanks to General Walker and Admiral Burke. She was looking forward to it. First, she had a job to do here.

The procession came to a halt. This is where a rather unorthodox Arlington burial was about to take place. The six pallbearers of each of the seven caskets would come forth as each name was called. Bo waited for all of the military members to be in place before she stepped forth, to call each casket forward starting with the one farthest from her,

"It is with heavy hearts that we gather here today to lay to rest, with honor, our lost soldiers. Air Force Captain Mark "Panther" Thornwood." Bo watched as Hale led the Honor Guard who escorted Mark's casket."

"Navy SEAL Jericho "Bug" Whitman." Specter led the group who brought Bug forward. She could see the Colonel struggling to keep his composure.

"Marine Captain Seamus "Boner" Williams." Stevie led the guard forward with the casket. She'd always felt bad for the young Captain who had earned his call sign because every time he'd approached a jet, he'd popped a boner. She had told him once that if she were a guy, the same thing would probably happen to her. It was probably cool comfort, but it was the best she could do under the circumstances.

"Special Forces Major Wallace "Wally" Jones." Bo found it interesting that when the Special Forces Major was assigned to come to the Farmhouse with Specter's SEAL team, they'd never taken to calling him by his call sign, but had instead called him Jones or Jonesy. When they'd first arrived at the hospital, she'd learned that he was in a coma. She was still not aware of what had caused his death, only that when she fell into a coma of her own, he had died.

"Command Chief Master Sergeant Ellison." Bo gritted her teeth, watching as Manes wheeled his chair forward, leading the group who would bring the casket forth. He was up and walking now, but Bo supposed the uncertain terrain was the reason for the chair today. The same treatment that had helped her walk again had been used on Manes and it was just as successful. He had just started out worse off than her. Looking at the casket, Bo was sorry that there hadn't been some high-tech solution for burn infections to save the Chief. It was a tremendous loss at Nellis and for any pilot who'd ever flown a plane worked on by his crew.

"Army Captain Samantha "Tiki" Evans." Watching as Aaron stepped forward, Bo's eyes moved to where a woman had cried out. She supposed this was Tiki's Mother. The anguish displayed was all too familiar. She closed her eyes tightly, holding back tears as she cursed herself for looking up at the family. It was well known among military personnel that holding it together during services at Arlington meant you didn't make eye contact with the family.

Finally, Bo announced the name of the final casket to be buried at Arlington, "General Jack "Bullet" Dennis."

She stepped forward and moved with the casket as it was moved into position. She took her place in line with the other soldiers serving as the Honor Guard for each of their fallen soldiers and waited for the families of each to move to their seats in the order in which they had been announced. Standing at the end of the row of caskets, her heart ached at the sheer number of soldiers they had lost. Again, her mind pressed to place blame on her decisions, but she forced the thoughts out of her mind.

'Focus.' She urged herself as she watched Kenzi step up to the seats beside their Fathers' casket. Martin followed and then... Lauren.

'So much for focus.' Bo thought.

She knew the blonde would come... knew she would want to pay her respects to the fallen soldiers – especially Tiki who had saved her life and everyone onboard the Cargo plane. But still... did she have to sit with Kenzi? Bo was aware that Kenzi and Lauren had been speaking even though Bo had been radio silent with... well... everyone. But still...

A throat clearing behind her drew Bo's attention back to the task at hand. Bo gave salute to her Father's casket and braced herself for the rifle shots to come... seven guns firing three shots in unison... twenty-one shots in total. Try as she might, when the first shot sounded, she startled a bit. She noticed Tamsin jumped as well, which somehow made her feel better.

Next, the lone soldier stood at attention playing 'Taps'. Tears flooded Bo's eyes as she heard sniffles down the line, but as the other soldiers did, she held her salute steady and true, focusing on providing honor to the fallen.

Once the song was finished, Bo watched as six guards per casket moved into position, gripping the flag in six places. They bent, removing the clips that prevented it from blowing away, then stood in unison. Two sharp folds, gloved hands smoothing the wrinkles between snaps before the triangular folding began at a slow, intentional, careful and rhythmic cadence. Once folded, the officer pulled the flag to his chest and began the ritual of passing it down the line until it arrived at the head of the casket. From there, it was marched to the head of the family.

Bo watched as the same routine was performed for each soldier they had lost until they came to her Father's casket. They worked, in unison, following a routine she had learned by heart at a very young age from all of the burials she had attended here. Finally, the flag was in her hands. She marched to her sister, keeping her eyes on her before bending down, holding the flag between her two hands,

"On behalf of the President of the United States, The Department of the Air Force and a grateful Nation, we offer this flag for the faithful and dedicated service of General Jack "Bullet" Dennis."

Bo handed the flag to Kenzi who took it in her hands and pulled it to her chest, tears streaming down her face. General Walker approached as Bo once again stood at attention. He leaned down to Kenzi, handing her the Medal of Honor for her Father, speaking too quietly for Bo to hear. He removed the glove of his right hand and took Kenzi's hand, shaking it and whispering to her once more before he stood at attention and offered a slow salute with Bo.

The pair pivoted and marched back to the group of Top Brass. Bo appreciated that General Walker went slow enough for her to keep up and look somewhat steady, but she could feel her legs growing weak. As luck would have it, General Walker had grabbed her cane as he passed by her Father's casket. He held it to his right where she could take it in hand.

Finally, the new Secretary of the Air Force stepped forward to speak,

"Never have we had members of all branches of our service to inter at Arlington. We take solace in knowing that these brave men and women will now lie together in this place of honor just as they served and died together. We are grateful the Secretary of Defense saw fit to expedite the process of offering the Medal of Honor to you all today. No one is more deserving than these seven soldiers... may they rest in peace."

The Honor Guard began its recessional with all of the soldiers following in order. When the Top Brass before them had gone, Bo looked up at General Walker and Admiral Burke and said,

"Thank you, so much, for all you did to clear my Father's name and expedite honors for him and all of these soldiers. I will never be able to express how much it means to me."

"You've thanked us more times than we can count, Stick. And remember – he was our friend. We owed him this for all he did for us and to do right by his daughters. We're just sorry Aoife couldn't be here to see this day come to fruition." The Admiral said, shaking his head as he looked down at the casket of his friend Jack.

General Walker nodded in agreement, "Even more than the medal, she would have loved to see what you did to Tops. Those bastards deserve to rot."

The Admiral nodded, "Or worse."

Bo could see the anger and resentment that still burned in the eyes of her mentors. She couldn't imagine what they had been forced to deal with during their tenure working with her Father. She was just grateful she could finally help them put this chapter of all of their lives to rest. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see the Admiral smiling down at her,

"It's time for all of us to move forward, Stick. Agreed?" The Admiral said.

Bo nodded, looking back at the wooden box "Agreed, but still... if you don't mind... I think I'll just hang here in the past for a few more minutes. I've never had this chance with him so I kind of want to say goodbye."

The pair nodded, "We understand, Bo. You give us a call if you need anything. Otherwise, we'll see you on Monday, 0900."

"Yes, Sirs." She smiled, watching them turn and walk away.

She slowly walked over to where Kenzi had been seated and picked up the folding chair before walking it back to her Father's casket. Tossing her cane on the ground, she sat down and placed a hand on the wood,

"Hi Dad. I thought we could talk one last time since you weren't actually in the first box they'd built for you. I mean... I know you're not in there now, but somehow, I feel closer to you now than I did the last time. Maybe it's because I'm all grown up and know a little bit more about what it was like to walk in your shoes as a pilot."

She closed her eyes, allowing the tears to flow freely now that no one was around to see, "We did it, Dad. We freed you from the bullshit accusations Green and the others had made. I followed the bread crumbs, just like you taught me. I had a lot of help, but like you said – successful people surround themselves with good people. Well, I found a lot of good people, Dad. You and Mom may be gone, but Kenzi and I... well, we found a sort of… makeshift family through all of this. They helped us, Dad. Some of them died for us... for you. They all believed in what we were doing and... they helped."

More tears stained her cheeks before she admitted, "I'm not sure I'll ever be able to deal with the guilt I feel over their deaths, Dad. How did you do it?" She leaned forward, laying her forehead against the casket, "God, I miss you Dad. I need you. I need you to tell me... help me... find my way through all of this. You see, I've been struggling lately and I'm hoping you can help me think through some things. So, if you wouldn't mind listening for a while..."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **The Dal Riata**_

Most of the soldiers from the Farmhouse had gathered for a wake after the funeral. Trick had agreed to host the event, slashing prices in half for the occasion. Kenzi and Tamsin were happily downing his top shelf liquor faster than the bartender could pour while Lauren and Martin shook their heads, commenting on the liver damage they would surely have one day in the not-so-distant future.

"Come on, Doc. Live a little. One liver, one life!" Kenzi said, toasting her new motto with Tamsin.

Lauren laughed, "Did you not recognize any wisdom in those words, Kenz?"

"Wisdom is tough to come by when alcohol invades your brain."

Martin placed a hand on Lauren's, "Give it up, my friend. We must resign ourselves to the fact that we will always serve as designated drivers when we go out with these two."

"Alas, I fear you are correct, my dear." Lauren laughed.

Trick came to stand before the pair, "What can I get for the two of you?"

Lauren smiled, "Water with lemon for me and a ginger ale for my friend here."

"Nothing with a bit more kick?" Trick asked.

Martin shook his head, "Someone has to be responsible for your Top Shelf thieves over there."

Trick smiled, "Oh, thank goodness. I think Kenzi inherited her Mother's hollow leg."

"You knew her Mother?" Lauren asked.

Trick nodded, "And her Father."

Martin pointed his finger, "Right. You testified at the trial."

"Kind of shitty that you waited until now to tell everyone that Walker's test results were a set up." Lauren hadn't meant for her comment to come out with such an edge to it, but she guessed defending Bo from all enemies, foreign and domestic, had become a bit of a habit, despite having no idea where she stood with the brunette for the past two weeks.

Trick nodded, "A mistake I've carried around and regretted my entire life. If I would have stopped Hanes, Marshall and Green back then, maybe those seven bodies we interred at Arlington today would still be alive."

"Maybe." Lauren replied, "Losing any sleep over it?" She added, having no idea why she would ask such a question. She took a whiff of her glass making sure it was only water.

"War never goes away and neither do mistakes." He replied before putting Martin's drink on the bar, "Can I get you anything else?"

Lauren looked at her glass and sighed, "I guess one drink can't hurt. Two fingers of your finest."

Trick nodded, grabbing a bottle from the top shelf as he eyed Lauren cautiously. He'd done this job since leaving the military and was all too familiar with the look on the Doctor's face. She was agitated and looking for a fight tonight. Her last jab at him was just the beginning. He slid the glass to her,

"There you are, Doctor. Now if you'll excuse me. I have other customers to tend to."

He walked away leaving Martin and Lauren sitting alone, "That seemed a bit harsh, Lauren. The man sounds repentant. What was that all about?" Martin asked.

"Foul mood." She replied, sipping her new drink, cringing at the burn. She wasn't a drinker - as a matter of fact, she was a lousy drinker. She didn't much like the taste of even the best liquor, but for some reason, tonight she wanted to feel the discomfort and the sheer blindness that would follow if she had too much. Martin would see to it that she didn't go there. He always did because – in his words – she was a lousy, nasty drunk.

"You mean you're in a Bo mood. Why don't you call or text her?"

She gave him a cold stare before turning back to her drink and taking a long sip,

"Oh gee, Martin, let's see. Why don't I call or text her? Maybe because I've already sent her two texts and made two calls in the two days after the trial - a week later and I called and texted twice again. She saw me at the funerals today. She knows I exist. If she wanted me around, she would be in touch. If she wanted to call or text she would." Lauren said, waving to the bartender.

"Lauren... you don't know that she even had a working phone. For all you know, she may never have gotten any of your messages." Martin argued shaking his head as he watched his friend down the rest of her drink before the bartender acknowledged her signal.

"Kenzi gave her a burner phone. Kenzi gave me the number. I texted and called the number I was given. End of story." The bartender approached, "Vodka rocks."

Martin shook his head, "Lauren, the last time you buried yourself in a glass of vodka, it didn't end well."

Lauren chuckled, "Who said I was only going to have one glass?"

The bartender placed the drink on the bar before moving to take the twenty Lauren laid down, but Trick stopped him, "Their drinks are on the house just like the other soldiers. They're part of their team."

The bartender dropped the twenty back down, offering a smile and an apology to Lauren before walking to where Kenzi and Tamsin were waving for more shots. Martin excused himself, giving Trick a nod. The barkeep then turned his attention to the blonde,

"It's been a very long time since I saw you drink vodka, Lauren. I thought you said the two of you were a bad couple." Trick smiled, though he gave her a tight smile as if offering a suggestion that she go back to water.

Still, Lauren swirled the alcohol in the glass before taking a long swig, "Sometimes what's bad for you is exactly what's good in the moment. Water wasn't working."

Trick leaned forward onto the bar, "If you insist, but can I ask that you take it easy?"

Lauren smirked, "I make no promises."

Trick nodded, "Okay."

"Come on, Trick. It's not like you to judge." She said, taking another long swallow, the smooth liquor warming her from the inside out.

"You know, your Father and his friends used to come in here, get drunk, hit on the ladies and eventually get into a good old fashioned bar brawl. Oh, the base would pay the bill for everything that was broken, but they were a pain in my ass."

Lauren's face was filled with anger and resentment as Trick spoke of the man who had used her in the worst possible way,

"What's your point?" She spat, her tone less than polite.

"I'd hate to see you follow your old man and become bitter and spiteful." Trick replied, "Just your average everyday bar owner keepin' it real, as the kids say."

Lauren nodded, watching as he walked towards Specter and Doc. She turned back to her drink and downed the last of it before tossing the twenty down and leaving the bar. About ten feet from the door, she heard Kenzi call out,

"Hey Sketch! Where you goin'? We're not done yet!"

She closed her eyes, trying to think of a way to make her escape, but came up dry. She forced a smile onto her face and turned,

"Just going out to get some fresh air," she lied, "Be right back."

Of course, Kenzi and Tamsin read right through it and made a beeline for Lauren. The pair flanked her, each hooking an arm in Lauren's elbows and escorting her back to the bar,

"Your mouth says you'll be right back, but your eyes tell us you're lying!" Tamsin said.

Kenzi added, "You cannot leave while we're still getting our drink on!"

They arrived at the bar and released Lauren's arms. She took a step back, "Look, it's been a long day... a long month. Hell, it's been a long year. I just..."

Kenzi shook her head, downing another shot before picking up another and raising it to Lauren, "You just nothing. This is about my sister giving you the silent treatment. Well, she's an equal opportunity offender in that category. She hasn't been returning any of our calls or texts, so don't take it too personally."

Lauren shook her head, "How can I not?"

She took the shot from Kenzi's hand and downed it before taking the shot from Tamsin's hand and downing that one as well. The two women just stood there, staring at their empty hands before looking back at the blonde, who suddenly seemed to have verbal diarrhea,

"You know, if you're a couple, you go through shit together. You share your shit. You don't shit on the person who has been there for you, watching you die over and over again. You don't shit on the person who went groveling to her ex and gave up all of the shares in the company she used to own to get the prototype to save your damn life. You don't throw a pity party for yourself and not invite the woman you claim to love to your shit party! You don't have a meltdown in court and then shut your partner out of your shit! Shit! Whoa."

The pair caught Lauren as she wobbled, planting her firmly in the chair that was just behind her. They waved the bartender to the table, each taking a seat on either side of the blonde, listening as she continued,

"I mean... why would you ignore two calls and two texts twice in two weeks? Does she have something against twos? How hard would it be to say like... hey, I need some space to sort out my head... but I'm alive! She could say something, you know, something like that?"

She looked at the pair, throwing her elbows on the table and laying her head in her hands, "I wish I hadn't figured out that I loved her. It's your fault." She said, suddenly popping her head up and pointing to Kenzi.

"Moi?" Kenzi asked, placing her hand on her chest, a look of shock morphing over her face.

"Yes! You were all... if you break her heart I'm gonna kill you or something and then you were pissed because she was all broken up and I told her I needed time. She needed time too! If I had taken more time then maybe we would still be taking time and I wouldn't be waiting all this time for her to respond to two texts and two phone calls from two weeks! You know?"

Her elbow slipped off the table, but she caught herself before her chin hit the wood. The bartender slid in with another tray of shots. Lauren grabbed for one, but Tamsin pulled it from her hand, so she reached for one with her other hand and raised it to her lips, but Kenzi grabbed that one,

"Come on! Can't a girl have one little drink?" Lauren whined, "I just wanna drink until I pass out so that I don't have to fucking think anymore... so I don't have to fucking feel anymore! Dammit Bo!"

"We are not going to let you drink until you pass out, Lauren." Tamsin said, "You're a doctor. You know that wouldn't be cool."

"So what. Doctors are stupid... and being one is SO overrated." Lauren replied, laying her head in both of her hands and shaking her head before popping her head up, "Hey! Did you know I was actually TWO doctors? Three, really. Astrophysics, Engineering and Medicine. I know – it's overkill, right? It's stupid to be so smart. I mean... who the hell does nothing but get degrees for... hell, I don't even know how long it took anymore. Some brain I have."

Kenzi whispered to Tamsin, "I'll second that one. I can smell her brain cells burning in her skull."

All three women turned their heads when they heard the shouts from the other side of the bar's entrance,

" _Look guys! It's Stick!"_

" _Hey Stick!"_

" _General!"_

Lauren looked up, seeing all of the guys gathering around Bo who was still in full dress uniform. She looked amazing in her uniform.

"Great. Just great." Lauren said, attempting to stand, "I'm leaving."

But Tamsin and Kenzi grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back down between them, before Kenzi explained,

"You try to leave now, Hotpants and you'll probably pass out on the floor and embarrass the hell out of yourself. Just stay put and let her get to the bar, then we'll slip out behind her."

Lauren nodded, lowering her head, "Where's Martin?"

Tamsin lowered her head as well, "I already texted him. He's on his way over."

"I'm gonna have to stay put. She'll expect me to be here... even though she's not returning my calls and texts."

Lauren scowled, "Yea. How come the three of us are getting shut out, but she talks to all the guys over there?"

Martin sat down at the table, "Maybe because they're not texting or calling her?"

Lauren frowned, "Neither am I... not for two weeks!"

"Down girl. It was sarcasm." He replied to Lauren.

"Damn British accent. You sound serious even when you're joking." Kenzi snarked.

Martin sighed, "Great... I'm in charge of three drunk women."

Kenzi shook her head, "Just two. I'll stick around to distract our resident hero while you three make your great escape."

"Hey. Why can't I stay if you're staying?" Tamsin argued.

"You can both stay. I can get Lauren to the car on my own. The guards outside will help me once we clear the exit." Martin suggested.

Kenzi nodded, "She's at the bar. If you really want to go, now's probably your best chance while she's talking to Trick. Are you sure you don't want to stay and try to talk to her, Lauren?"

She shook her head, "If she wanted to talk to me, she had plenty of opportunities. If she asks about me, tell her to pick up the damn phone and call me. The ball's in her court now. I'm too tired, too drunk and too care-takered out to give two shits about whether or not the legendary Stick Dennis wants me to stay or go from the Dal Riata right now."

Kenzi's eyes went wide, "Creative response and I totally understand. As drunks go, you're pretty mean, so I think leaving isn't such a bad idea."

"Unless the person she's mean to is deserving of such treatment."

The group looked up to see Bo standing just behind them as she added, "And I'd say I'm deserving... but I had my reasons."

Lauren shook her head before flopping it down on the table, burying her face in crossed arms.

"I'll take that as a hint that she doesn't want to talk to me?" Bo said, looking at the rest of the group for suggestions.

Martin answered, "My friend is historically a very bad drunk... largely because she never gets drunk. I mean... not never, but I've only ever seen her drunk three times – not counting this one."

Bo continued, "And those times were because..."

"Two breakups and my husband's death."

Bo raised her eyebrows, "Oh. So... this is about the funeral and not about me. I mean... I shouldn't have assumed she was upset about me. I just..."

Lauren's head was up in a blink. She shot up to her unsteady feet, Tamsin catching her and keeping her upright as she laid into Bo,

"What? You thought I wouldn't be upset because I didn't finally bare my soul to you and tell you I was in love with you only to have you push me away? Again? Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to go there? I'd sworn off of love and you sucked me right back in to the trap that love is! Love - it takes your heart, your mind and your soul! It steals them like the little thief that it is and it takes years and years to get those precious commodities back so you can feel even the slightest bit alive again! I fucking trusted you! I trusted you with my heart and you betrayed it! You betrayed me!"

Lauren finished her statement with a poke placed squarely into the center of Bo's chest – only what was meant to be a single fingered second jab became a full-hand delivered with much more force than intended. In fact, there was so much force behind the gesture that the General lost her balance, her cane hitting the floor as she tried to grab onto anything to avoid falling. Alas, she hit the ground, but was able to catch one of the vertical support beams on her way down to at least lessen the force of the blow.

The group stood and pulled Lauren back who now had both hands to her mouth. She looked at Martin as Kenzi, Tamsin and a few other people ran to Bo's side.

"What did I do? Did I do that?" She asked.

Martin sighed, "As I've told you. You're a lousy drunk, Lauren."

"Is she alright? Please tell me she's alright." Lauren said, her face covered with worry, "She's not supposed to fall. It's dangerous to her recovery. She's not... she's not supposed to fall. I... I'm sorry. I... I didn't mean..."

Martin nodded, "Shhh... she's getting to her feet. Just give her a second."

"We should go. She's not going to want to talk to me now. We should go. I'm such a fuck up!" Lauren said, trying to pull away from Martin, but he'd already received a shake of the head from Bo. The brunette gave a half-hearted laugh as she was helped to her feet,

"Then we should make a great pair." She said, finally vertical once more. She flipped her hat back under her arm and accepted her cane from Specter so that she could make her way towards Lauren again. The fall hurt her, she realized, but she was determined, so gritted her teeth and kept moving.

The blonde looked up, "I'm so sorry. I..." she looked at Martin and sighed, "I'm a lousy drunk."

Bo smiled at Martin, "So I've heard."

Lauren looked at her friend, then at Bo who was winking at Martin. The blonde turned to her friend,

"You called her? You told her I was drunk?"

Martin shrugged, "Well, I thought that since she was the reason you were drunk, it was only fair that she deal with..." he waved his hands up and down her body, "... this."

"This? This! I'm your best friend!" Lauren shouted, "You'd betray me too?"

Martin shook his head, "I'd never betray you, Lauren, but I would do what I have to do to save you from yourself. Sometimes best friends have to take matters into their own hands to prevent said best friends from committing social self-destruction! I did what needed to be done because you wouldn't. She's here to pick you up. So... what do you say we just move this along and you take off with Bo before you do any real damage."

"Well! I never..."

"Bo, I really suggest you get her out of here." Martin said, ignoring Lauren as she laid into him from behind his back, "She's going to embarrass herself soon and then she won't want to come out of her house for weeks. The fallout from playing 'Doctor Drunk' gets very, very ugly."

Smiling, Bo waved her personal guard towards them. They moved swiftly, escorting the blonde from the bar as she continued spewing insults at her friend and pretty much everyone in the bar. Martin laughed, blowing her a kiss, which only earned him more expletives, not to mention laughter from the group. He turned to Bo,

"Don't try to talk to her tonight. She won't remember a thing." He looked at his watch, "I'd give it about another forty minutes until she's out cold. She really doesn't drink beyond a glass or two of wine. Hard liquor is not her friend. By my count, she's had two glasses of vodka and about four shots of whatever Tamsin and Kenzi were drinking."

Bo shook her head, "Oh boy. That would be Trick's special whiskey blend. He calls it Buckthorn."

Martin's face went pale, "Oh, no – whiskey? She... Bo, maybe I should take her."

"Seriously, Marty. I can handle it."

"No, you don't understand. She and vodka don't get along, but she and whiskey are mortal enemies. Mixing the two..."

"That bad, huh?" Bo laughed.

"Worse. Combining her nemesis and mortal enemy in the same night? She's going to get sick, Bo... very, very sick."

Bo laughed, "You do know I'm in the military, right? I've seen much worse than vomit, Martin."

He nodded, "She's going to say things that may not make sense, Bo and she will be more than embarrassed in the morning. I just know that she would never want you to see her that way, Bo."

She shrugged, "Well, if we're going to handle this couple thing, she's going to have to start letting me see her with all of her imperfections. I won't love her any less."

Martin stopped Bo with a gentle hand as she turned to make her way to the exit, "Just remember, Bo... both Nadia and Jeannette gave her conditional love. It's all she's ever known. When she couldn't be the person they wanted her to be, they left her. She was all in with you, Bo... and you ditched her for almost four weeks without a word."

He shook his head, "Honestly, I'm quite angry with you for that, but I'm still trusting that you will make good on your word. You told me you were in love with her. You haven't exactly proven that lately. I know she has been distant, but it was just in response to you being distant as well. She is awkward in social situations at best. She's worse in a relationship if she doubts that her partner doesn't truly love her for who she is. She has zero confidence in a partner's ability to love her and not want to change her or want something from her... or someone else. I'm sorry you have to battle what Nadia and Jeannette did to her, but it's a part of her. So please... take all of her or leave her to me to help her pick up the pieces of her broken heart."

Bo nodded, her eyes dropped to the floor, "So my girlfriend lives beneath the shadows of her past." She looked up at him, "I guess that's another thing we have in common."

She patted his hand before he nodded and watched her make her way towards the door. He noted the change in her gait and how she leaned more heavily on her cane. That fall hurt her and her pride wouldn't allow her to admit it. Luckily, he had spoken to Bit and Byte about making a change to the prototype for their next session since her progress had stalled a bit. Hopefully the adjustment would bring some relief to her latest injury.

Martin turned back to the bar and scanned the tables, his eyes settling on the brilliant tech duo who, as everyone would expect, were drawing diagrams on the table napkins. With one last glance, he watched Bo's guard open the door for her before heading to his favorite geek squad.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

By the time Bo entered the rear of the vehicle, Lauren's head was against the window and she was staring out into the darkness. Bo leaned across the blonde, reaching for her seatbelt,

"Let's just get this on you, okay?"

Lauren looked down, startled by Bo's hand before relaxing as she buckled her in. Bo then did the same for herself before moving her cane to her feet and stretching out her legs as far as the front seat would allow. She laid her hat on the seat between them and pulled off her gloves, one finger at a time, tucking them into her hat.

"Bo?"

She looked at the blonde, offering her a smile, "Yes?"

"I'm sorry for pushing you. I meant to poke you... I mean... I just... I mean, I thought it was just a finger, but then it was a hand and... it's dangerous for you to fall and... I would never forgive myself if I did something to hurt you. Are you alright?"

Bo waved her off, "I'm fine," she lied.

The truth was, she'd landed hard on her hip and it hurt like a bitch, but she would ice it and stretch tonight. Hopefully it would be fine in the morning. If not, she'd deal with it at her next physical therapy appointment. Martin, Bit and Byte had a new plan, she was sure of it.

"Still. I'm sorry." Lauren said quietly, her finger tracing a heart in the fogged window.

Bo smiled and nodded, "I know you didn't intend to hurt me, Lauren. Of course, if you had, I'd have deserved it. I've been unfair to you."

"No, you haven't." She replied, back at the brunette.

"Lauren. Come on. You're angry with me because I haven't spoken to you and you have every right to be. It was wrong of me to shut you out. It's not what couples do. It's just... well... with everything going on and with what happened in the courtroom... I had a setback and... I... well, I'd like you to... you know what, never mind. We can talk about it tomorrow. Right now, you're drunk and you need sleep."

"I'm not drunk." Lauren slurred, as she sat back in her seat, her head lolling back against the head rest before she sat up straight, "Actually, right now, I need them to stop the car."

"What?" Bo asked.

"Stop the car! Stop the car! Now!" Lauren said, opening the car door before they'd actually come to a stop and leaning her head out the door.

"Lauren!" Bo said, gripping the blonde's jacket to keep her from falling out of the moving vehicle.

When they came to a stop, she used her other hand to unfasten her seatbelt and slide over as best she could towards the blonde, who was emptying the contents of her stomach onto the roadside.

Bo looked up and noticed that they were near a convenience store, "Hey Bud? Can you run into that store and get some kind of wet wipes, a rag or towel, some water and some hand sanitizer?"

"Wipes, rag, water, sanitizer. Check. Be right back, General," the guard in the passenger seat replied.

Bo watched the guard hustle out of the vehicle and across the street while Lauren continued to moan and heave.

"Anything I can do for you, General?"

Bo shook her head at the other guard, "Unless you can undo drunken Doctor Lewis, I don't think so, Tommy."

He smiled, "You'll need my Great Aunt's remedy."

"Remedy?" Bo asked.

"I'm telling you, it's full proof. Doc won't feel anything but fine tomorrow morning... though she may still be a bit nauseous. No headaches, though."

"I'm sure the good doctor would be grateful to feel better tomorrow than she does right now." Bo replied as Bud came back into the vehicle. Lauren pulled her head up and sat back in her seat, allowing the General to sit up, relieving the strain on her back from holding the blonde in the car.

Bud handed her a plastic bag with the contents she'd requested, "They had dishtowels... a 3-pack. There's Wet Ones in there and Purell. Oh, and I got her mint gum to go with the water. It helps to settle the stomach and get rid of the nasty taste in your mouth without making you feel like you're gonna puke again. I also got her some of those little mini travel toothbrushes with the toothpaste already in. Just add saliva and brush!"

Bo nodded, rifling through the contents of the bag until she found the wet wipes. Opening the package, she gave a few to Lauren so she could wipe her mouth,

"Thank you." The blonde said as Bo decided to just dump everything on the seat so Lauren could use the bag for trash.

She put a bottle in the cup holder, placed a towel on Lauren's lap and squirted some hand sanitizer into the blondes' hands before doing the same with her own. Her hands were still sticky from the floor of The Dal, so she was actually grateful for the opportunity to clean them.

"Better?" Bo asked.

Lauren shook her head, "The car is spinning."

Bo sighed, "Okay, let's get you home... I mean... well... I don't actually know where you're staying. I mean... I don't want to assume you want to stay at my place. You're welcome to, but if you don't want to... I mean... stay with me... then I need your address."

Lauren looked at Bo, "I'm going to need a change of clothes. If you have something I can put on then your place is fine.

The blonde fell over onto Bo's lap, one arm sticking straight up behind the headrest and the other laying on the armrest between the two front seats. She had one foot on the seat and the other leg crossed over it onto the floor. Bo shook her head,

"That can NOT be comfortable," Bo said before she looked up at the guards, "My place, guys. You can stay in the bunkhouse if you don't feel like going back to the base tonight."

Bud shook his head, "We're on shift through the night, General. Our relief comes on at 0600 hours. If you don't mind, we might take the bunkhouse to get a few hours of shut eye before our next shift."

Bo nodded, "Sure thing. Who are you watching on your next shift?"

They chuckled, together before Bud replied, "We have that FBI woman. What's her name?"

"Epiphany?" Tommy asked causing Bo to laugh.

"It's Evony." Bo said as she was finally able to get the name out.

Bud nodded, "Piece of work, that one."

"Yea, I'm well aware. I lived with her for months."

Bud turned around in his seat, "Wait. You and that Fed chick were... ya know..."

"Oh, hell no! But she did help us to put a lot of bad people behind bars. We owe her." Bo said, looking down at the passed out blonde on her lap, "Drunk or not, this woman is it for me."

The two men looked at each other and smiled, Tommy saying, "You know, the guys in my unit would call you whipped, General."

Bo looked up at the pair, "I'm totally whipped... and proud of it... I just don't know if..." She trailed off, careful not to disclose more than she felt comfortable. She didn't want to embarrass Lauren... ever, "Never mind."

Bud nodded, pausing for a moment before he asked, "So why wouldn't you talk to her all this time?"

Bo's mouth dropped open and she was momentarily at a loss for words. Finally, she recovered enough to ask,

"How do you know about that?"

Bud and Tommy both shrugged, while Tommy replied, "Everyone knows. You and the Doc are like THE couple of the military."

Bud nodded in agreement, "You even have a name."

"A what?" Bo asked.

"A couple name. You know, like Brangelina?"

Bo looked confused at Tommy's explanation, so Bud tried, "You're BoLo! You know, the Bo from you and the Lo from Lauren?"

"But Lauren's name is Lauren... not Lo-ren."

Tommy laughed, "Don't overthink it, General. Just know that there are a lot of people pulling for you two. She's a miracle worker and you risked your life to save a whole lot of people. Even if not everyone survived, you brought everyone home. That means an awful lot to your men. The two of you are going to do a lot of good together."

Bo nodded, staring out the car window to her house, "So... I think we're gonna have a little problem here, guys."

Bud suddenly looked concerned, "Is something out of place? Suspicious?"

"Oh no, no. Not a security problem a walking problem. It seems as though your favorite Doctor has passed out on my bad leg... and now I can't feel it."

Tommy and Bud were out of the car in a flash, opening both doors to the back seat. Tommy leaned in from the drivers' side of the car,

"I guess I can pull her up and off of you." He snapped his fingers in front of her face, then clapped, "She's out cold."

Bo nodded, "It's probably best. She'd just get upset again if she knew I had a dead leg from her laying on me. No one breathes a word of this, okay?"

Bud hesitated, but Bo insisted, "Bud, I swear, if this ends up in the daily security report, you'll be scrubbing toilets for weeks back on a Canadian base!"

The soldier nodded, putting both hands up to Bo, "I won't say a word. Promise. But you have to promise to tell your therapist when we drop you off at PT tomorrow or I'll tell him myself. That fall..."

Bo shook her head, "Deal, but we don't mention the fall to Lauren either. Deal?"

"Deal." They both nodded with their reply.

"Now head into the house and grab that damn wheelchair. I'm gonna need it." Bo hissed, rubbing her leg.

Bud nodded looking at Tommy who smiled, "Mind if we use it for Lauren first, General?"

"Good idea. I'll wait here." Bo replied, still rubbing at her leg. She knew she landed primarily on her hip in the bar, but it's the hip attached to the leg Lauren had just been leaning on. Hopefully she hadn't done any real damage.

Tommy told Bud to stay with the General while he got Lauren inside. It took a while, but eventually, the two women were in the house and Tommy and Bud were on duty outside with the other two guards who were on standard surveillance duty at the house all day.

Bo had asked Tommy to get her onto the bed in the guest room and she would handle it from there. Now she wished she'd asked him to stay put. She pulled out her phone and sent a text to her sister,

' _Hey. Are you and Tamsin staying here tonight or heading back to base?'_

She sat in her chair, tapping her phone against her numb leg, glad she could at least feel pins and needles. After lying paralyzed for weeks, feeling pain was always better than feeling nothing at all... well, sort of.

Her phone vibrated,

' _Not sure yet. Why? You need us?'_

She began to reply, but the phone rang... it was Kenzi.

"Hey."

" _You aight?" Kenzi asked._

"Loud." Bo replied, pulling the phone from her ear.

" _Sorry. The band started playing. I'm in the ladies, but it's not helping much. What's going on?"_

"Long story, so don't ask. I'm in my chair and can't get up to change and get into bed. Lauren's passed out on top of the bed in the guest room. I can't get her underdressed and under the covers."

" _You want to undress the unconscious sort-of-girlfriend? Not a good move, BoBo. Frankly, I'm appalled that you would try to..."_

Bo rolled her eyes in frustration, "It's not like that, Kenzi! Martin said she'd probably get sick from drinking so much and if she does, she'll get sick on her good clothes and then... look... can we just... can you get here, Kenzi... please?"

" _Okay. We'll be there. Hang tight." Her sister replied. Bo could hear her yell to Rage before she hung up. She felt relief that her sister and friend weren't in a drunken stupor tonight. She really did not want to sleep in her chair._

"Thanks, Sis." Bo replied, to know one before tossing her phone on the vanity counter. She wheeled herself into the bathroom and sighed as she looked at the toilet, "Bo Dennis, I'd like to thank you for not allowing your stubborn pride force the Visiting Nurse to remove the handicapped equipment... specifically the toilet because you so have to pee right now."

She pulled up to the toilet and locked her wheels before working her pants down to her knees. She then reached out to take the handles mounted over the bowl and used her upper body strength to move and spin to sit on the bowl. She sighed in relief as her bladder emptied, then reached over to the bathtub and turned it on. She poured in some lavender bath water and relaxed as the fragrance filled the room and her senses.

She pinned up her hair so she wouldn't have to deal with a wet head. Once the tub was full, she shifted her weight, using her one good leg to work her way into the bath before laying back and allowing the warmth of the water sooth the pain in her body. She allowed her mind to wonder if she would ever get past this stage in her recovery... to wonder if she would ever be pain free, but then forced the thoughts from her mind. Instead, she grabbed the towel from the rack next to the tub and folded it several times before placing it behind her head. She slid down, deciding to focus on making herself comfortable until Kenzi came to rescue her.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Lauren rolled over, unsure of where she was. It took her a few minutes, but when she finally realized she was in a bedroom, she sat up, reaching for the bedside light. She threw back the covers and stood, feeling the baggy sweats that covered her naked flesh. She looked down and smiled when she saw the U.S. Air Force logo on the left leg of the pants and left chest of the hoodie. That's when she remembered Bo asking her where she wanted to stay.

"I guess I said I wanted to stay here... wherever here is, exactly." Lauren said, looking around the room. She walked to the closet and pulled it open, revealing a long rod that ran the width of the closet. Hanging neatly was a full row of Air Force dress blues, pilot blues, jackets, Air Force T-shirts and sweatpants.

"She hangs her T-shirts and sweatpants? Wow. And I thought I was anal." She laughed, tracing her fingers down the sleeve of one of the dress uniforms. She smiled, remembering the evening at the Farmhouse when the star shining atop the shoulder of the jacket, "I always was of the opinion that you looked sexy in a uniform General Bo "Stick" Dennis."

She smiled, before a sudden surge of nausea rolled through her gut. She ran for the door, hand over mouth looking left and right as she silently cursed the bathroom for not appearing right in front of her. She chanced a right and found an open door. _'Jackpot'_ , she thought as she closed the door and thrust her head into the toilet, emptying the remnants of the previous night from her body.

She turned around and slumped to the floor, her back finding a resting place against the bathtub, "I'm think maybe I just lost my liver." She groaned before the scent of lavender, drew her attention. She smiled, thinking of Bo and leaned over to turn on the water. A bath would do her good right now...

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **One Hour Later...**_

Clean from head to toe and teeth to gums, Lauren set out to find Bo. She walked the hallway to its end, finding another bedroom and what resembled a home office. She slipped inside the office and smiled at the sight of framed photos and models of various aircraft. It was like a miniature museum that gave her a deeper look at just how rooted in the Air Force the brunette's world had always been. As she turned to leave the room, she stopped to have a closer look at the family hanging on the wall by the door. It was clearly a beach vacation photo. The two adults that she guessed were Bo's Mom and Dad, sat behind a younger version of Bo and her little sister. They were at the beach – Bo and Kenzi covered in sand, but clearly laughing as their parents wrapped their arms around the pair.

It was an experience Lauren could not relate to, though she had seen families on the beach during her lifetime when she'd take a vacation to get away from her work. It didn't happen often, but she was found of the sounds of the ocean. It calmed her and – at the same time – inspired her.

She decided to move on, unsure of where she was going or what she was doing. Should she find Bo? if she did, what would she say to her after last nights' performance? Should she find the exit and sneak out? Would that be rude? Was Bo just being the Queen of hospitality? Did she feel sorry for her? Did she even want her here?

Another hallway led to a quaint eat-in kitchen. She noticed the sky was slowly turning to dusk. She was grateful that today was a Saturday. There would be no work for her, but she was unsure of Bo's schedule. She found some aspirin in a cabinet near the sink and washed them down with some ice-cold water. She knew from experience she may very well get sick again if she put anything in her stomach, but she was definitely dehydrated, so decided to chance it.

Off the kitchen was a modest dining room that looked mostly undecorated other than a table and a buffet with a nice collection of vintage wines. As she moved into a small entryway, she found a living room fully furnished with three sofas in a 'U' shape around a large flat screen TV that was still on. A bit further into the room, she realized Kenzi and Tamsin were each passed out on their own sofa - popcorn and beer on the coffee table in front of them.

She smiled, contemplating cleaning up the mess and turning off the TV for them. She owed them for saving her from herself in the bar. Plus, they had clearly helped Bo to get her dressed and into bed since she was fairly certain that Bo was in a bit of pain with how heavily she was relying on her cane in the bar. Wait... did she fall?

"Did I..." She placed a hand on her chest, whispering to herself in the dim light, "Did I push her down?"

Everything was fuzzy and Lauren couldn't remember what was real and what wasn't. Her stomach started to roll again, so she headed towards what she assumed was the other end of the corridor where the bathroom was. As she turned the corner and saw the familiar door, she rushed inside and once again emptied her stomach before resuming her position on the floor.

"Shit. How much more can possibly be in my gut?" She said, rolling back and slamming herself against the bathtub, "Just great, Lewis."

She sat for a moment, waiting for the pounding sensation in her head to pass before standing up slowly and moving to the sink. Placing a hand on either side of the bowl, she turned on the cold water and splashed her face before gripping a hand towel and blotting her skin dry. Opening the medicine cabinet, she pulled out another one of the 'to go' toothbrushes she'd found earlier and put the little brush to task once again. Rinsing with several gulps of mouthwash, she wiped her face dry.

She looked up into the mirror and found a pasty pale face staring back at her, "Why do you do this to yourself, Lewis? You know that you and alcohol do not get along, but still you manage to try to run from your emotions in a toxic bottle of... what they hell did I even drink?"

She was sure Martin must have tried to stop her, but she'd probably been too far gone by the time he'd found her since he was talking to some of the guys the last she could remember.

She moved out of the bathroom and looked left, "So... that's where I woke up. I guess I went that way around the whole house..."

She looked to the right, "... and one of those rooms must be Bo's. If I can get past Tamsin and Kenzi to the door, I can sneak out of the house and save what's left of my dignity..."

Shaking her head, she talked to herself, "Great idea, Lauren. What are you going to do? Call an Uber? That would be an interesting. Come pick me up from I don't know where to take me to whatever the name of that hotel was that the military put me in."

Realizing that wasn't going to work, she rolled her eyes, "Einstein!"

She turned and went back into the bedroom, picking up her clothes and rolling them into a ball. She then rifled through the walk-in closet on the opposite side of Bo's uniform closet to find a stash of old boxes and shopping bags. She tossed the bundle of clothes into a shopping bag before closing the door and heading back out into the corridor to make what she hoped was a stealthy, graceful exit.

She tiptoed down the quiet hallway, but stopped short when she heard shouting coming from the only door she had yet to open. She tried to make out what was being said, but when she realized it was Bo's voice screaming 'no' before garbled words, phrases and moans, she turned back towards the living area where she'd seen Kenzi and Tamsin.

She hesitated as she heard Bo scream 'no' again, but steeled her will instead. She dropped the bag of clothes next to the door and slowly opened the door a crack, just to take a peek. Her heart broke at the sight of the brunette struggling to rid herself of the blankets that were twisted around her torso as she screamed at her invisible foe to get off of her. Lauren hesitated for a long moment until she heard Bo shout her name. Not wanting to be the cause of Bo's nightmare, she threw open the door and rushed inside.

She stopped, hands again covering her mouth as she realized the brunette was drenched in sweat, her hands pawing at the air as she told whoever she was fighting to 'remove their hands from the doctor'.

"Bo?" Lauren whispered quietly, well aware that jarring her awake would only elevate her heart rate and blood pressure even more. When there was no response, she carefully placed a hand on the brunette's shoulder and repeated her name with a bit more volume,

"Bo?"

She dropped to her knees when the brunette gripped her hand, bending her wrist back hard, her other hand flying to her throat as her eyes went wide with fury,

"I SAID, GET YOUR HANDS OFF..."

Lauren could see the change in the brunette's eyes as the realization hit her,

"Lauren... God, Lauren." She released the blonde, her hands immediately crossing over her body as she quickly used her arms to drag her lower body back away from her, "I'm... I'm so... Geezus, Lauren... I was... I'm... shit."

The blonde, rubbed at her neck as she slowly stood, watching Bo turn away and swing her legs over the opposite side of the bed with some difficulty. She cringed noting the mental and emotional pain the brunette was suffering was not the only discomfort she'd been experiencing.

Lauren moved around the bed to the other side, so she could see her face, "Bo, it's my fault. I shouldn't have touched you while... while you were... dreaming."

She shook her head, "It's not safe to be around me, Lauren. I'm not... stable."

"Bo, that's not true. You were having a nightmare. You're not unstable. It's common for soldiers to have flashbacks in their dreams. I would hope that your counseling sessions have been working towards eliminating the blurred lines between your past and present so that you can move back towards a state of normalcy."

Coughing up a laugh, Bo shook her head, "I think we both know that nothing about my life has ever been normal, Lauren."

The blonde nodded, unable to disagree with what she now knew had been Bo's disruptive childhood, reckless teen and young adult years and more recently, her risk-filled years as a soldier,

"That may be, but it doesn't mean it never can be, Bo." She said, quietly.

Bo didn't raise her head, but lifted her eyes to see Lauren still rubbing at her throat, "I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

Lauren nodded, "I'm fine, Bo."

She shook her head, pulling the covers from her legs, "Still, you should put some ice on that."

Lauren watched as the brunette's face twisted with pain when she tried to move her legs to stand, "Bo, stop. I can get ice for my own neck. I'm more concerned about you."

"That's funny. I thought I was the one who hurt you, not the other way around." Bo replied, sighing heavily before looking back up at the blonde, "I'll always be hurting you, Lauren. If I'm not fucked up in the head, I'll be at work leaving you to be terrified about my safety." She pointed at her neck, "Even when I'm asleep I hurt you."

Lauren stepped back, "So that's it? You're just going to give up on us because you might accidentally hurt me one day?"

Bo frowned, "Look at me, Lauren! I can't even stand up! I'm a physical threat to you, mentally I can't find my way out of a paper bag and I have no idea if I'll ever be the woman you met!"

"Well, let's just retrace our steps here. We got off to a rough start, but when we finally connected, we were like two peas in a pod. Then, shit hit the fan, so we got off track. I pulled back and just when I thought we were finding our stride again, you pulled back. Last night was... I was being... I don't know... an idiot. I was angry at you for shutting me out, but you showed up and... well, honestly I have no idea what your intentions were, but... well, I'm here. I doubt you would have brought me here if you had not planned to try to salvage something of the 'us' we once had... or maybe build something new now that all of the shit has been cleaned from the proverbial fan."

Lauren covered her face, trying to find a way to calm herself before she sighed and began again, her eyes set on Bo's,

"No more games... just truth."

"I am giving you the truth! I'm 100% fucked!"

Lauren shook her head, "That's not your truth, Bo. That's a perceived condition."

Bo slapped her leg, "Well, I'm perceiving my dead legs are pretty fucking real, Lauren."

"They're legs, Bo. They're legs that are undergoing treatment – treatment that you know full well is far from over. You are not your legs and what happens between us or with your career is not dependent on your legs! So, if you're trying to use your legs as an excuse for why you don't want to try with me anymore, you'll have to find another excuse."

Lauren crossed her arms over her chest and waited for a shocked Bo to reply,

"I'm not looking for an excuse, Lauren. I do want to fix whatever went wrong with us, but I can't fix us if I can't fix myself! It's starting all over again! The nightmares, the flashbacks, the physical therapy, the career questions..."

"Only this time you have a good woman who is trying like hell to stand by your too-proud, too-stubborn ass, but you're too damn much like Dad to let her in to help you."

Both women spun around to see Kenzi standing with her hands on her hips, her hair sticking up in different directions and her mascara smudged to the point that her eyes looked like those of a raccoon. Behind her stood Tamsin, scratching her ass as she chimed in,

"I agree with Kenzi. Bo, you need to snap out of your funk and look at this gorgeous hunk of burning love standing in front of you."

Lauren cocked her head, "Gorgeous hunk?"

Tamsin shrugged, "Yea… uh… sorry. That was my straight-girl gene coming out. I do have a gay-girl gene, but it took a vacation since I fell for Manes. Speaking of gorgeous hunks, I've got a call to make." She said, thumbing over her shoulder as she turned and walked away, taking a moment to call out, "Let Sketch help you, Bo. It's called a relationship. It's what normal people do. I know people like us don't really know normal, but I think you should try it. Normal might look good on you... and you might like the way it feels too."

Kenzi leaned against the doorway, and folded her arms, "You know I love you, Sis, but you've been a bear to live with these last few months. It's time to put up or shut up. You either love the girl or you don't. If you love her, love her with everything you have. If you don't, then tell her now so she can move on with her life."

She looked at Lauren, "Sorry to talk about you like you're not here, Sketch, but the sister-to-sister chats we would usually have about stuff like this haven't been happening since she decided to retreat into her own head like our Dad used to do when he would fill his days with flight time instead of coming home to us."

Kenzi looked back at Bo, "Remember how that felt for us, BoBo? Is that really who you want to be? Is that really how you want to live?"

She unfolded her arms and placed a hand on the door jamb, half turning to leave, but offered one last bit of advice, "And just to clarify, dear Sister of mine, Lauren moving on with her life would mean you never see her again, Bo... ever. Can you live with that?"

The brunette's eyes filled with tears as she listened intently to her sisters' words, holding her gaze until Kenzi turned and left the room, quietly closing the door behind her. Bo replayed her younger sisters' words in her mind. They were loud and clear... and painful to consider. She looked up at Lauren, tears streaming down her cheeks,

"I can't..."

Lauren's heart broke in her chest at the sound of those two words, "I understand. Say no more." The blonde's voice cracked as she stood and turned towards the door, "I'll gather my things and…"

"I can't live without you in my life." The brunette finished.

Lauren froze in her tracks, turning back towards the pilot, her eyes filling with tears as a smile slowly stretched across her face, "Really?"

Bo laughed, wiping the tears that had fallen to her lips, "Yea."

"So..." Lauren began, her eyes locked on Bo's as she walked back to the brunette.

"It's time." Bo smiled.

"It's time?"

"I want to give this a real shot... be together. If there's one thing my Dad's crash taught me... that the last five years have taught me, it's that life is too short. I don't want to wait anymore. I'm busted and broken, but if you can live with a woman whose body has been near death more times than I'd ever care to count, I'm here... and my arms are open to you, Lauren Lewis."

The blonde smiled, kneeling down in front of Bo, "Hold me, Bo. Hold me and never let me go."

She laid her head against Bo's chest and felt the brunette's strong arms wrap around her. She closed her eyes melting into the long-absent embrace and for the first time since the days at the farmhouse, Lauren allowed herself to trust that this woman wanted her just as she was... accepted her – flaws and all - for better or worse.

"I love you, Lauren. I love you. I've always loved you... so much." Bo said, placing a kiss atop the blonde's head.

"I love you too, Bo Dennis. In a cockpit or behind a desk, walking with a cane or on your own two feet, sleeping soundly or sleeping restlessly... I love you – no matter what."

"No matter what." Bo whispered.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Evony tapped her pencil impatiently on the blotter covering her desktop. The General was late and the Agent had places to be, things to do and people to see. She hated lateness and – for reasons she still could not understand – she hated the General.

Her head snapped up as the door opened, revealing the cane-toting brunette in full dress uniform. Damn the woman looked good in a uniform. Shit.

"Very Special Agent Fleurette-Marquis. Arriving as requested."

Evony stood and smirked, "If you'd arrived as requested, General Dennis, you would have been here fifteen minutes ago."

Bo winced as she sat, wagging the end of her cane at Evony, "Well, I'm not exactly moving at Mach 3 just yet, so I beg forgiveness for my lateness."

Evony ran her finger along the edge of her desk before moving to sit across from her visitor, sliding her left leg slowly over her left,

"You are forgiven."

Bo's eyes traveled the length of the Agent's legs as she chuckled, "Gee. Thanks."

They sat in silence for a long moment before the General heaved a heavy sigh, "So, why am I here, Evony? I have a meeting with Tops in two hours and this side trip to your office cost me one of those two hours."

Evony opened a leather portfolio and pulled out a set of papers, "I wanted you to see these. They're transcripts from the final sentencing hearings for the former top brass."

Bo stiffened in her seat for a moment before she reached out and took the offered information, "I thought this was going through my sister's office."

Nodding, the Agent replied, "It did, but your sisters' new boss has her back on Russian soil bringing the allies of our former trusted government officials and generals to justice with the help of their intelligence agencies."

"Kenzi's in Russia?" Bo asked, surprised.

"She didn't tell you?" Evony asked.

Bo scowled, "We haven't been in touch much lately. I was… well, between physical therapy and meetings with the Brass for the realignment of positions due to the – demise – of our former leaders, I haven't had a great deal of free time for chatting."

Evony nodded, "I see. And have you found time to… chat… with the good doctor?"

"You're asking if I've spoken to Lauren?"

Evony stood, walking slowly towards the General, her fingers walking up Bo's arm to her shoulder. She smoothed her hand across the broad shoulders of her uniform, sliding her hand beneath her ponytail, she twirled the brown locks around her finger as she leaned down and whispered in Bo's ear,

"We've been dancing around this… tension… for months. Isn't it time we had a little… fun? I think you could benefit from a little… sexual healing." She rounded Bo and straddled her legs, but Bo put both hands up,

"Don't. My legs… they can't handle even your – what – one hundred pounds?"

Evony placed her hands on the arms of the chair and leaned down, whispering breathlessly in Bo's ear, "I promise, I'll be gentle… sort of."

Her lips trailed down Bo's cheek to her lips, but Bo's head turned away, "Evony."

"Come on, General. Show me how talented that 'Stick' really is." She reached down, her hand moving to Bo's outer thigh, but again, the pilot stopped the Agent's hand,

"Evony. Stop. Please."

"You don't mean that."

Bo gripped the Agent's shoulders and shoved her back, "Actually, I do. I really, really do."

Evony stood, her eyes filled with lust as they remained on Bo's until she saw the sincerity in the General's eyes… or was that pity? The Agent's expression turned to something resembling anger before she threw her head back and ran her hands down her petite frame, smoothing out the wrinkles in her dress,

"I suppose those injuries to your back have had an impact on your ability to perform." The Agent snarked.

Bo shook her head, "I assure you there is nothing wrong with my… abilities… in that department, but to answer your original question, yes, I have been… chatting… with Doctor Lewis, so I'll not be using those abilities with anyone but her. Your offer, however, is quite flattering, so thank you for giving me a bit of an ego boost."

Evony rolled her eyes, "Like the great Bo Dennis needs an ego boost."

Bo looked out the window, "Actually, when you get a whole bunch of people killed, screw up the only good relationship you've ever been offered, freeze out your family to the point they don't want to be around you and bust up your body so badly that you may never be able to do the one thing that made you feel you a sense of pride and worth, your ego takes quite a hit. Couple that with the possibility of relying on a cane and eventually a wheelchair for life and anyone showing an interest in you can make you feel just a wee bit better about yourself."

Nodding, Evony replied, "I see. Well, back to business then. If you take a look at the information I gave you, you'll see that all of the top-ranking military officials are being charged with High Treason, as is your old friend Thornwood. He tried to get a plea bargain, but since he didn't take the one offered before trial, no one paid much attention to him begging for a deal."

Frowning, Bo nodded, "He's not my friend. I doubt he was ever my friend. He killed his son. He doesn't deserve friends, a deal or a life. He deserves the chair."

Evony sighed, "Well, this town has banned the death penalty, so that won't happen."

"I know. It's still what that piece of filth deserves. I flew with Mark several times. He was a great pilot who was going to move up the ranks quickly. He was a great pilot and a great man. Hell, he was just a kid but he was already a better pilot than Dyson ever was and the bastard took him out. Dyson took the life of a young man who should have lived to see all he dreamed of in life."

Evony watched as Bo tossed the papers onto the table beside her and gripped her cane. She struggled to a stand. There was a hitch in her first few steps, but she soon found her rhythm and moved to the other side of Evony's desk,

"Thank you for allowing me to see the sentencing list." She turned to walk towards the door, but stopped to turn back to the Agent, "I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again. I am grateful for all you did to bring these people to justice. If you ever need anything, I'll do my best to use any influence I have to help you."

"I'll keep that in mind. A girl never knows when she might need an ally in this town." Evony winked.

"Right." Bo laughed before walking to the door and making her exit. As she walked down the hall, she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. She smiled when she saw the screen,

"General Dennis here. How may I help you, Ma'am?"

" _This is Doctor Lauren Lewis of LeMar Industries. I'm calling to discuss the possibility of a dinner meeting to discuss my company's new contract with the U.S. Air Force."_

Bo grinned, "Ah, yes, Doctor Lewis. And will your partner, Doctor Martin Cambridge be attending as well?"

" _I'm afraid he has a prior engagement and will be unable to attend."_

"Okay, so it would just be the two of us?"

" _That would appear to be the case. Why? Are you considering something inappropriate in our very professional relationship, General Dennis?"_

"Of course not, Doctor Lewis. I was simply asking so that I would know for the dinner reservation I intend to make."

" _You, Bo Dennis, are going to make the reservation?"_

"You sound surprised. Do you believe a General in the United States Air Force is incapable of making a simple dinner reservation?"

 _Lauren chuckled, "Well, considering that we have gotten together for three dinners this week and I have made every reservation, I suppose I was beginning to question the possibility that reservations were not in your skill set."_

"Well, I assure you that I am quite capable of making a reservation. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at my choice as well."

" _Oh really?"_

Bo stood by the elevator, knowing she would likely lose the signal and the call if she got on, "I know you've been picking steakhouses because you think it's as classy as a jet jockey gets, but I assure you that I can do posh, Doctor Lewis. Dress up tonight, little lady. I'm taking you out on the town."

 _Lauren smiled, "Wow. I'm officially shocked."_

Bo grinned, "You ain't seen nothing yet. Remember to wear something that will match my dress blues. I doubt I'll have time to change before I pick you up. Sorry."

" _You know I think you're sexy in your uniform. I'm okay with it. So, we have to match, huh?"_

Bo laughed, "Isn't that what couples do?"

" _I'm as clueless as you are when it comes to what couples are supposed to do. I was always given directions, as to what to wear and how to behave, remember?" Lauren cringed, hoping Bo didn't…_

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tell you…"

 _Too late, "No, Bo. That's not what I meant. I was… it was a joke, Sweetie. Honest. What do you say we throw out the rule book on relationships and just do us."_

Bo nodded, "I like that. Wear whatever you want. You always look good to me – even in a lab coat."

" _A lab coat. Hmmm. That would be interesting dinner attire if we're doing… posh."_

"You can bedazzle it." Bo laughed.

" _Martin would love to do that to my lab coat. However, I fear he'll need more time than I have. I guess I'll have to wear something else. I'm sure I can find something that you'll… enjoy."_

Bo grinned, "I'm sure whatever you have on will be perfect."

" _So what time?"_

"Pick you up at seven?"

" _You don't want me to meet you at the restaurant?"_

"Nah. I want to have one night where we actually go there and drive home together."

" _Home?"_

"Uh… well… if you want to, I mean. I thought maybe you could… you know… stay at my place tonight?"

" _Why General! I think you're taking advantage of my sweet sensibilities."_

Bo laughed, "I didn't know you were a proper southern belle, Doctor Lewis."

" _Oh, I think anything proper about me will be tossed out the car window on the way to your place tonight, General."_

Bo swallowed hard, "Uh… I… um… well… uh…"

" _The hot shot jockey, Bo Dennis is speechless. I never thought I'd see the day."_

Bo tugged at her jacket collar, "I'm not… I'm just… well… I… I'm…"

 _Lauren laughed, "I'll see you at seven, Bo. You're going to be late for your meeting."_

Looking at her watch, Bo stiffened, "Shit. I'll see you at seven."

Bo hit the elevator button repeatedly, begging it to move faster. Finally, the ding sounded, and the doors opened, revealing her new Staff Seargent,

"General. I was just coming to get you."

"I know, I know. Let's get going."

He hit the button to lower the elevator, "We're in luck. General Walker was in another meeting and is going to be late to The Pentagon. The meeting has been pushed back twenty minutes."

"Great." Bo replied, thinking it was great for her to be on time for the brass, but now she might be late to pick up Lauren, "Hey Stevie, I need a really fancy restaurant for dinner tonight with Sketch. Do you know a place?"

Stevie grinned, "Sure thing, Boss. I overheard Martin telling Rage that there was this place that was their favorite place to go when a group of them were running that company that he took over with Sketch. It's a swanky French restaurant called…"

"No, no, no. I know what you're going to say and… just… not that place. Is there another one?" Bo cringed thinking about taking Lauren to a restaurant she might have frequented with that bitch that had just leached Martin for every dime he had to buy her out. That would be a disaster."

"You do your meeting and I'll find a place. Don't worry, Boss. I've got your six."

"Thanks, Stevie. But please…"

"Not a word to anyone. We don't want Sketch finding out you didn't pick the place yourself."

Bo nodded, feeling uneasy about the arrangement, "You know what, forget it. I'll do some research on my phone while we're driving to The Pentagon. You have the briefing copies, right?"

"Sure do, General. We're all good to go."

Smiling, Bo replied, "I'm so glad I hired you, Stevie. You're like my mini-me. You know how I think."

Stevie smiled as they stepped off the elevator, "Well, we spent an awful lot of time in close quarters together, Ma'am. It's easy to get to know the ins and outs of someone under the conditions we were in. I'm happy to serve with you, Ma'am and I think I can be a greater asset in this position than working the tower back at the base."

Bo nodded as they stepped into the back of the car, "That's the idea, Staff Seargent."

Bo sifted through her emails before surfing the internet for a restaurant. The more she looked for fancy French restaurants, the more the conversation she'd had with Lauren the last dinner nagged at her mind. The Doctor had opened up about everything that had happened with the woman named Jeanette, so why was Bo so bent on having a French dinner? Was she trying to compete with this ghost of Lauren's past? Shifting gears, she googled Michelin star restaurants and instantly found the perfect place. She hit the number and proceeded to make the reservation as Stevie smiled at her. When she hung up, he smiled,

"Good call, General. What about the room?"

"The room?"

"You're going to The Inn at Little Washington. You're not going to take advantage of just crashing there on a Friday night?"

Bo's mouth hung open as her mind raced with possibilities… possibilities of Lauren getting mad at her assumption that they would share a room, possibilities of them sharing a room and Bo not being able to use her lower body in a way that would satisfy the blonde… what if Lauren had to work tomorrow? She hadn't even asked. Of course, the blonde had suggested they would be getting busy at Bo's tonight, so was it really something she would get mad about? Again, sharing a room was a stretch, though.

"General?"

Bo looked up, "Staff Seargent?"

"The room?"

"Uh… well… we aren't… you know… yet."

"Oh, but getting a room doesn't mean you have to… you know."

"But doesn't it insinuate that I want to… you know?"

"I guess it might, but hasn't Sketch thrown out any signals that she might want to… you know?"

"Dunno." Bo said, hanging her head, "Is it supposed to be this hard?"

Stevie laughed, "No, it's not. Look – I'm the last person who should be giving you advice on your love life, General…"

"Then don't. No offense, but if I screw things up with Lauren, I want it to be because I was the one making the decisions."

Stevie nodded, "Sounds like a good philosophy to me. Consider my mouth zipped. I'm going to read emails while you figure out how to proceed with your love life."

Bo turned and stared out the window, replaying the conversation she'd had with Lauren earlier… _"Oh I think anything proper about me will be tossed out the car window on the way to your place tonight, General."_

Was Lauren saying what Bo thought she was saying?

The General picked up the phone and stared at it for a moment, repeating Lauren's comment several more times in her head before she opened her screen and called the Inn once more,

"Hi, I'd made a dinner reservation just a moment ago?" Bo's fingers tapped her leg nervously, "Yes, that's the one. I'd like to get a room for the evening as well?"

She waited for the clerk on the other end to pull up her screen before the woman told her availability was limited to just one accommodation for the evening. It was pricey, but Bo didn't flinch at the cost. Lauren was worth any amount of money in the world.

"I'll take it." The General said with confidence, "Yes, thank you… yes, that would be fine… yes, same card… yes and… could you have some chocolate covered strawberries and champagne sent over around midnight?... great… yes, thank you… you have a great evening as well."

She hung up the phone and looked out of the window, sighing. They still had a long way to go to the Pentagon and she was dreading the long wait until dinner. She needed a distraction to keep her mind off of whether or not making the room reservation was a huge mistake.

"General?"

She looked up to see Stevie staring back at her, "Sorry. Is something wrong?"

"I don't know. You tell me. I called your name three times and you didn't respond. You're just sitting there staring off into space. You alright?"

Bo smiled, "I am. I'm just… I just wish we'd get to the Pentagon and get this top-secret meeting over with. General Walker's memo didn't tell me diddly squat about why I'm being called in to meet with all of the big wigs."

Stevie broke open the seal on the memo he'd been handed before picking up the General, "Well, this might tell us more." He handed her the open envelope, "It's marked 'eyes only'. You're on your own."

Bo took the large navy-blue envelope and pulled out a set of documents. Stevie watched as she flipped through them as if bored to tears until suddenly, she stopped, her eyes going wide,

"Holy shit!"

"General?"

"Dammit!"

"General?"

Bo looked up at Stevie, then out of the window, "Shit! I need more time."

"I thought you couldn't wait to…"

"That was before I knew I had to know all of their names."

"All of whose names?" Stevie asked, confused.

She pulled out a few of the papers and held them out to Stevie, "These guys. Quiz me. Now! I need to make sure I can remember all of their names. I've met them all over the years, but I've never cared about anyone who wasn't flying a jet. To me, they were just a bunch of talking heads. All that mattered was the person talking to me in the tower and my wingman. Dammit! I should have paid attention!"

Stevie held up the first picture, "Okay, so who's this guy?"

Bo looked up, her eyes set on the photo of a tall, dark-skinned man in a Coast Guard dress uniform, "I'm SO screwed!"

"He was sitting second from the far right on the bench in the courtroom during the trial."

Bo nodded, snapping her fingers, "Uh… right… um… Frank something… no… that's his last name. Franks or… Franklin!"

"Right. Now, what's his first name?"

"Thomas?"

"That's right! See, General! You know more names than you thought. How about this guy?"

Bo smiled, "That's the Honorable Judge Anthony Carmichael, Judge Advocate General, and the other guy was Judge Thomas Franklin who heads the J.A.G. office at the Coast Guard."

"Right on both. Who's this?"

"Judge Tina J. Wallace. She's Army from the uniform." She went right on to the next photo, "And that's Judge Armand Caldera, Naval Forces and buddy of Admiral Burke."

"They went to S.E.A.R. training together." Stevie nodded, holding up another photo.

"That's Judge Charles H. Mills of the Air Force. He's the guy who didn't believe my Mom – or me, for that matter – when we told him my Dad had been murdered. He'd refused to bring charges against General Greene." Bo looked out the window, "They'd all be alive if he'd just done his job."

Stevie looked at Bo, putting the pictures down for a moment. He knew what his commanding officer was talking about and he had to agree. There had been plenty of time while they were in hiding at the Farmhouse to review all of the reports about the death of then-Colonel Jack Dennis. Judge Charles H. Mills was all over the report as was the name of then-Colonel Greene. There was plenty of evidence to indicate an investigation should have happened… a thorough investigation. He sighed, holding up the next picture,

"And this one?"

Bo looked up, "Judge Simone Perez, Marine. Oohrah."

Stevie chuckled at the General's weak show of Marine enthusiasm as he held up another picture. She stared for a moment,

"I have no idea."

"That's Judge Hank Bowers, United States National Guard."

Bo nodded, "Right. He was seated all the way to the right on the bench at trial."

Stevie nodded, "Again?"

"Nah. Let's do the next stack. I'm gonna love this." Bo smirked.

"Name with rank, branch and position." Stevie demanded.

Bo nodded, "Admiral Benjamin Shaw, former Fleet Admiral of the Navy, now serving two consecutive life sentences for his part in the deaths of Now-General Jack "Bullet" Dennis, Air Force Captain Mark "Panther" Thornwood, Navy SEAL Jericho "Bug" Whitman, Marine Captain Seamus "Boner" Williams, Special Forces Major Wallace "Wally" Jones, Command Chief Master Sergeant Ellison and Army Captain Samantha "Tiki" Evans."

Stevie nodded and held up the next photo, "Former Fleet Admiral Jose Consuelos, Coast Guard. Same sentence as Shaw. All of these bastards are serving the same sentences."

Bo looked at the next photo, her anger boiling up, "Former General of the Army, Henry Robbins."

Next photo, "Former General Sherman Banks of the Marines."

Stevie and Bo shared a long glance, saying the final name together, "General Art Simmons."

Bo's eyes moved to where Stevie had flipped the picture over, "Former General of the Air Force. The man who worked as the right hand of that bastard Secretary of Defense who orchestrated the entire thing. Back then, I lost my Dad. Now, they've lost everything. Their jobs, their families, their freedom… their honor."

Stevie nodded, handing Bo the photos, "I think you know more names and faces than you think you do."

The General nodded in reply, "I guess I do. It's amazing what anger and resentment can do to help you remember a face."

"So, anything else you can tell me about what's in the package?" Stevie asked.

Bo shrugged, "They're all going to be there for some sort of conversation about some big reveal. Then another ceremony. I'll tell you, the military loves their ceremonies. They're worse than reality TV shows." Bo sighed, signing off on a stack of papers Stevie had given her, "What am I signing, Stevie?"

"Requisition forms for supplies for the base." Stevie replied, "General Walkers' duties fell to you since he's been hanging out at the Pentagon and you're the only ranking officer left with any ties to Dulles."

"Right." Bo replied, signing three more forms, but looking at them a bit more closely, "I really do need to read what I sign. After all that's happened, I'd be an idiot to put my name to anything I haven't read."

Stevie wanted to agree, but he figured agreeing that your Commanding Officer was an idiot would probably not be in his best interest.

"Finally." Bo said, looking up to see The Pentagon, "We're here."

Stevie nodded, "We made good time. We're fifteen minutes early."

Bo laughed, grabbing her cane, "Yea, well with my legs, we're more like ten minutes late."

"Nah. Come on. We'll rally." Stevie said, opening the door and putting on his cap.

Bo looked at her watch, "Rally? What am I, a race car?"

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **The Pentagon**_

The meeting had dragged on for almost an hour before the Judge Advocate General stood with the rest of the Judges seated at one end of the large round table in the central conference room.

"So, now that all of the sentencing is complete, and our former commanders secured in military prisons, we have no one sitting at the desks here at the Pentagon since we have cleaned house from the heads of all military branches all the way to the top. If the superiors were not complicit, they were certainly blind to what their subordinates were doing, so they're out and you lot, well, you're all in."

Bo's face went pale as she imagined herself riding a desk in Washington. _'Please not me. Please not me. Please not me. Shit. Lauren will not want to live in D.C.'_

"So, in the absence of a Secretary at the D.O.D., the duty has fallen to the Justices of the Judge Advocate Generals' office to assign replacement personnel to lead our military. Please rise and approach the Judge of your assigned branch to be sworn as I call your name."

Bo watched as the men and women in the room closed their portfolios before they straightened in their seats, adjusting their uniforms nervously. She followed suit, straightening her uniform, though she wondered if she could deny the promotion if it was offered. She really did not want to be in D.C. let alone riding a desk. Of course, her legs weren't going to allow her to get back into a jet. For a moment, she wondered what it would like to be a navigator on a cargo plane. Of course, that thought quickly passed as she silently scolded herself for being that desperate.

"Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General John T. Walker."

Restraining herself, Bo clapped lightly, avoiding the whistle she was just dying to direct at her Commanding Officer. He was now at the tippity top of the military food chain and she was both proud and happy for the man who had helped her at every turn in her career. Most recently, he had put his life on the line for hers and to prove her Father's innocence. She owed him a great debt. If he ever called, she would be there without hesitation. The same could be said for Admiral Burke.

"Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Navy Admiral Robert S. Burke."

Bo watched as her former Commanding Officer stood, snapping to attention and offered a salute to the J.A.G. before marching to stand before Judge Armand Caldera. She knew the Navy would be in good hands with Admiral Burke, but this was beyond what she imagined. She was going to be Walker's right hand, running the entire military. He was a smart and conscientious soldier who was as honorable as they came. Today, she was proud to be part of the military. She knew cases like her Dad's would never happen under the supervision of these two men.

"Chief of Staff of the United States Army, General Arnold J. Robinson."

Bo applauded politely, having just met this man when she arrived. He's held the door opened and introduced himself, already knowing who Bo was. She was shocked that someone from another branch of the military knew so much about her record until General Walker shook his hand. Apparently, they'd known this meeting was coming for a few weeks.

"Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Rider P. Stamp."

Smiling, Bo applauded with the rest of the officers gathered. Admiral Stamp's crew had found her when her plane was downed in the South Pacific on one of her earliest missions. He had aged well, but rumor had it he had grown tired of life onboard ship and was ready to live life as a landlubber.

"Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Patricia A. Kemp."

The entire room erupted with a rousing round of applause as the woman smiled through her salute and the ceremony giving her the fourth star on her shoulder. Even though it wasn't mentioned, everyone was well aware of the historical significance of the first woman Marine Corps commander.

"Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force…"

 _Bo was shouting to the universe, 'There's no way they'll pick me. I'm too young. Too inexperienced. Hell, I'm only a one-star. Please not me. Please not me. Please not me…'_

"… General Kathryn T. Matthews."

'Oh, thank the Gods.' She sighed, applauding politely for the woman who had been one of her trainers in tactical maneuvers at Red Flag training. She was a kick ass pilot who had kicked her ass twice in as many years during air-to-air combat tests. Of course, Bo now had bragging rights as she had gotten the best of Matthews in their last three tries. Still, as she watched Matthews get sworn in, she realized she'd just begged out of a piece of history… another first woman. Oh well. Hopefully, Lauren wouldn't walk out on their room reservation tonight. If she didn't, they were going to make a little history of their own. She was pulled from her thoughts,

"Commandant of the Coast Guard, Admiral Jonathan S. Bryce."

'Don't know him,' Bo thought to herself. Had he ever fished her out of an ocean?

"Chief of the National Guard Bureau, General Andrew G. Chen."

Bo had met Chen at a State dinner about three years ago. Unfortunately, it had been when she was engaged in a sexy soiree with a civilian red head. He had excused himself quietly, but the frown and the shake of the head told Bo all she knew about how he'd felt about her recreational activities that night. She supposed it was highly inappropriate, but she had just barely survived her captivity in Iraq, so felt she deserved a break. Thank heavens her Dad hadn't led her into the National Guard.

"The remaining personnel in this room will assume command positions of the elite training schools for each branch of their respective militaries. While not all of you are receiving promotions, one among you has been part of a record review. Let it be known that missions that had not been reported by our… incarcerated… leaders have now been added to the report of General Ysabeau 'Stick' Dennis."

Judge Carmichael raised his eyes to meet Bo's, "General, after reading the mission reports and the accounts from your squadron, may I just say that we are certainly glad to have you here and alive in this room today. I can only concur with the opinions of your honorable superiors that our former leaders meant you harm. I am happy that justice was served and promise you that you will receive the honor and respect you deserve from your peers in this room. Please approach."

Bo's eyes briefly moved to General Walker's who gave her a subtle nod. She gave salute before reaching for her cane. She paused, staring down at the crutch before straightening her shoulders, taking a deep breath and heading for the front on her own two feet. Balance was difficult, and the stabbing pain made her sweat, but she was too proud to receive any accolades with a cane in hand. It was time to take back her life.

Finally, she came to stand before the Judge. General Walker smiled as Admiral Burke approached, holding the stars that would soon be added to her shoulders. The two men smiled as they went about the task of adding the new metal to Bo's uniform until they finally stepped back, shaking her hand. Judge Carmichael then stepped back in to swear her in,

"Ysabeau Dennis, raise your right hand and repeat after me."

Bo raised her right hand as instructed before taking a deep breath to focus on the Judge's words,

"I, state your name..."

"I, Ysabeau Dennis..." Bo repeated, the words of the Judge, the words echoing in her own mind as she took the oath of her new office,

" _Having been appointed to the rank of Major General of the United States Air Force..."_

" _Do solemnly swear that I will support and defend..."_

" _The Constitution of the United States..."_

" _Against all enemies, foreign and domestic..."_

" _That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same..."_

" _That I take this obligation freely..."_

" _Without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion..."_

" _And that I will well and faithfully discharge..."_

" _The duties of the office upon which I am about to enter..."_

" _So help me God."_

She smiled at General Walker, then at Judge Carmichael who offered his hand, "Congratulations."

Bo took the offered hand, "Thank you, Your Honor."

"People, congratulations. We'll be taking our leave at this time. Please meet with your branch commanders before you go so you are clear on your new assignments. Ladies and Gentleman, a new military is born today – one that will be known not just for its might, but for doing what's right. As poetic as that sounds, the truth is that we must never allow what has transpired to happen again. Lead your soldiers with the best interests of the people they protect in mind. Teach them to serve with the honor and integrity we have seen in each of you. Be the soldiers that you want them to become."

The entire room applauded the Judge's comments, the round continuing until all had left the room. It was then that everyone seemed to relax and the branches separate into smaller groups to discuss their newfound chain of command.

General Walker smiled as he took Bo's hand, "Congratulations, Stick."

"Thank you so much, General." She replied.

"So, how's that leg of yours?"

Bo shrugged, "It's coming along, but it's slow."

"Well, for now, you can have Rage challenge those young pups in the Special Tactics units."

"Rage?" Bo asked.

General Walker smiled, "You didn't really think the Admiral and I would break up the band, did you? I want all of our fighter pilots to learn the perfect harmonies your group plays."

"Group?" Bo asked, still not fully comprehending his comments.

The Admiral joined the conversation,

"So, are you ready to run our elite Air Force training schools, Stick?"

"What?"

General Walker laughed, "Were you listening to the Judge, Stick?"

"Uh… yea. I mean… I got a promotion, right?"

The two men laughed before Walker replied, "You earned the only promotion in the group, but the first item he mentioned was that all of you had been selected to train new soldiers in your respective branches."

Bo looked around the room, noticing how they had paired off and were currently in deep discussions. She looked up at General Walker,

"Do you mean…"

He smiled, "You're heading back to the West Coast, Stick. Red Flag, Green Flag… hell, those Navy Top Gun guys will probably even give you a call to learn more about how you survived the missions."

Bo lowered her eyes, her mind racing before she looked up the new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, "I'm in charge of the Special Tactics units?"

He nodded, "Every single one of them, Stick. We'll be meeting once a week to discuss training scenarios and strategies. Your team will be your sounding board, we'll be the ones you have to convince of your weapons and tactics ideas. We'll all settle in soon enough. Just remember to trust your gut like we've taught you, Stick."

Bo smiled, shaking the offered hand of each man, "Sirs, yes Sirs."

"Well, I believe you and General Matthews will want to talk until you have to leave for that dinner you have tonight."

"Uh… dinner… Sir?" Bo asked of the General.

He smiled, "I'll be talking to Dr. Lewis a great deal, Stick. Get used to it."

"Right." Bo replied, turning to make her way to General Matthews, but she stopped and turned back to her C.O., "Uh, Sir? Did she say anything about the dinner tonight?"

He shook his head, "Only that she was really looking forward to finally seeing you again."

Bo nodded, "Will she be working with you here in D.C. then?"

She held her breath as he held his answer for a moment, "Only for a few weeks, then she'll be working out of the fighter jet hangers at Nellis. She still intends to build us the best jets in the world with her friend Martin. If those jets she tweaked to get you home to us are any indication of what she can do, we're all in."

Bo smiled, "That's good to hear. So, the contracts are all signed?"

He nodded, "LeMar Enterprises is the official contractors for our Air Force."

"Good to know."

"Celebrate that tonight, Stick. It's good for Lauren. We're giving her the respect she deserves this time around."

Bo smiled, "Thank you, Sir."

He turned and walked away giving Bo just a moment alone until General Matthews stepped in with a few other officers who offered salute,

"General Dennis. It's nice to see you on the ground instead of in my rearview."

Bo smiled, "General Matthews, it's nice to see you as well. I'm wondering if we could have a word?"

She nodded, walking a few steps away from her party of Air Force officers, "What can I do for you, Stick?"

Bo hesitated for a moment before she spoke, "I'm sure you're aware that my leg is still not 100%."

"I am, but we are all quite confident in your ability to lead Special Tactics from the ground."

Bo nodded, "And I appreciate that, but you know me, Kathryn. I won't feel comfortable putting a pilot up in the air until I've flown with and against them myself. If I remember correctly, you were very much the same."

She smiled, "I was… still am, actually."

"So, if you want me to send you the best pilots in the world, I need to be in the cockpit." Bo replied.

Kathryn nodded, "So, what can I do for you? I'm no doctor, Bo and from what I understand, they've done all they can including some of our Doctor Lewis' patented high-tech ideas."

Bo scowled at the other woman calling Lauren 'our' doctor, but shook her head, "Actually, she has not been involved. It's her business partner and two tech guys that gathered all the intel on our former brass."

"I still don't see how I can help, Bo."

"Come to Nellis when I'm back on my feet and fly with me. I'll need someone to help me get my reflexes back. I've been out of the cockpit for too long."

Kathryn nodded, "I see."

Bo pressed, "I know you're still keeping up with your cockpit hours, Kathryn. They say you haven't lost your edge. I don't want to lose mine either. If I do, I'm no good to the Air Force in my new position. Tell me you'll help me. Please?"

"You get medical clearance and I'll be there, Bo. I'll put you through your paces before you go head-to-head with your new pilots. Keep in touch."

She extended her hand to Bo, who replied, "Thank you, Kathryn. I owe you one."

"Not yet you don't, but we're putting the Friday night drink tab on the winner of our first training mission."

Bo smiled, "Now that's the Kathryn I remember."

"Yea, well you kicked my butt the last four times we met. I'm not going down easy, Dennis."

"I'd expect nothing less, Matthews."

They shook hands as the General smiled, "See you real soon, Dennis. Now that the offer is on the table, you get that leg back in shape quickly."

"Will do." Bo smiled.

"Well, I'll let you go. Tops tells me you've got an important dinner date to get to tonight with that hot doctor of ours."

"He told you that?" Bo asked, shocked, "I swear, he's like a gossiping little old lady."

"The whole damn Air Force knows about the great Stick Dennis being off the market. Our Doctor owns her heart. You're national news."

"Okay, I'm leaving now." Bo said, waving Kathryn off as she laughed, but Bo tried to ignore her. She turned away, whispering, "And she's _my_ doctor."

She turned, grabbed her cane and headed for the door as Kathryn continued laughing at her expense. Giving her a sideways glance, she gripped the doorknob and pulled open the door. As she stepped outside, she mumbled,

"Yea, we'll see who's laughing when you're paying that Friday night drink tab."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **THE INN AT LITTLE WASHINGTON…**_

Bo sat at the table, fidgeting between straightening the silverware next to her plate and adjusting her sleeves beneath her jacket. She was nervous and uncomfortable… or uncomfortable and then nervous, but she didn't know why. This was Lauren. They were in a great place… at least she thought they were – hoped they were. They'd come a long way and she was ready to take their relationship to the next level – wasn't she? Sure, her legs were a little weak and it had been… wow, how long had it been? Honestly, she'd never gone this long without sex in her life… well… since she was out of basic, anyway. Of course, there was that time that she'd been shot down on that top-secret mission that went to shit. That was a long stint waiting to be rescued. Then there was the time in the Iraqi prison. That was fun and another long stint of celibacy.

"Bo? Bo Dennis?"

The General looked up to see a vaguely familiar blonde leaning over the table, "Uh… yes. Hi."

' _I really have lost my game. What the hell is Lauren thinking being with me?' She thought to herself._

The woman extended her hand, which Bo took but was taken aback when the woman laid a kiss smack on her lips. Her eyes went wide as she picked up the napkin and blotted at her mouth.

"Wow, where's the smooth and sexy Stick Dennis? Two years ago, you would have had me in the bathroom by now."

Bo fumbled with her napkin, trying to duplicate the fold that was on her plate prior to being ambushed by the plump red lips of the blonde whose name she still couldn't place.

"I… uh… well… these lips are… uh… taken."

"Taken?" The blonde laughed, taking a seat in the chair across from Bo.

' _Dammit. Get up! That's Lauren's seat! Who the hell do you think you are?'_

"Uh… yea, actually. I'm just waiting for…"

"The flavor of the night? Blonde? Red head? Raven-haired beauty? Come on, Bo. You can tell me. Who's your type tonight?"

"Look… uh… I…"

"I think what the General is trying to say is that her type is a certain blonde Doctor who happens to be standing right about… here." Lauren interjected, pointing to the spot where she was standing.

Bo's eyes went wide as she looked up to see her girlfriend standing over the other blonde. She tried to push her chair back to stand to greet her, but Lauren shook her head,

"No, Bo. Stay seated, Sweetie. You've been on your feet all day. You need to rest. Bud told me you were getting some burning in your legs. That's the nerves. I brought the portable machine to give you a treatment after dinner."

"Lauren…"

The Doctor smiled, running a finger over Bo's cheek before leaning down and giving her a lingering, soft kiss, before whispering,

"Sorry I'm late, but thanks for sending your car for me. I got hung up and was late getting back home. It was nice to not have to drive back into D.C. tonight. I missed you."

"Lauren… I don't even remember her name. I swear this isn't what it looks like. I don't…"

She placed a single finger over the General's lips before standing up, her eyes fixed on Bo's as she spoke,

"It isn't what it looks like? Well, from where I was standing…" she motioned behind her, "… just over there, it looked like this woman, who is sitting in a seat reserved for your girlfriend, invited herself to your table, barely said hello before she was ambushing your lips with her own – and, by the way, you missed a spot when you were immediately wiping that kiss away…" Lauren picked up Bo's napkin, dabbed it into her water glass and then wiped off the corner of Bo's mouth before placing a kiss on the corner, "… there… all better."

She stood up, placing the napkin on the table before crossing her arms over her chest as she moved her eyes from Bo's to the other woman's,

"Oh. You're still here? Well, let me be a bit more blunt. I haven't seen my girlfriend much this week since we are both very busy in our respective jobs. That said, the General went to great lengths to plan this romantic dinner for tonight before I rock her world until she falls sound asleep for the first time in months, so… well… you're kind of cramping our style."

The woman sat, stunned, her mouth agape. Lauren smirked, as the woman stood. She looked at Bo,

"Really?"

Bo smiled, moving her gaze to Lauren, "Definitely."

"You suck, Dennis." The woman said, storming off.

Lauren smiled, leaning down to kiss Bo once more, "I guess that about covers old one-night stands."

"I swear I was trying to get rid of her." Bo replied as Lauren sat down across from her.

"You looked at bit tongue-tied to me." Lauren laughed.

"Only because she tried to shove her tongue down my throat! I didn't know what to say!" Bo replied, gulping down a huge amount of water.

Lauren chuckled, "Do you mean to tell me that the great fighter pilot, Bo 'Stick' Dennis has lost her game?"

Bo frowned, "It's not funny! I never have trouble telling people what I think. What the hell is happening to me?"

"Bo, it's okay. You're fine. There's nothing wrong with you." She replied, reaching across the table and taking her girlfriend's hand.

"I love you, Lauren. There's no reason I shouldn't have been able to put my hand up and stop that kiss before telling her exactly what she could do with those lips."

"Oh? And what would that be?"

Bo scowled, "Put them anywhere but on mine!"

"I'm teasing, Sweetie. Relax." She placed her other and over their joined hand, "Look at where we are. This place is so fancy." She laughed.

"I know, right? I feel so out of place here." Bo smiled.

"Well, I have to admit something to you. Martin, his Husband and I used to come here all the time when we were in D.C.."

"Oh Lauren, I'm so sorry. I tried to avoid a Jeannette place…"

Lauren shook her head, "Bo, it's not a place I came with her. It's a place I came with my two favorite men after the break up and beyond. Trust me, there are no memories of her in this place."

"Oh, thank God." Bo said, taking another long sip of her water.

"But I do know the chef and the Sommelier quite well. When I arrived at the door, the hostess sent a waiter to get them."

"Oh, so you guys were like… frequent flyers here, huh?"

Lauren nodded, "We were… well, still are when we're in town."

Bo nodded, lowering her head as she put down her water glass.

"Are you mad?" Lauren asked.

Bo shrugged, "No. I mean… I had hoped to take you somewhere different. I had no idea…"

"That's right. You had no idea and I didn't tell you. That's my fault."

"I could have asked."

Lauren shook her head, "How would you know to ask? It's okay, Bo."

"Yea, I guess you're right." She nodded.

Lauren could tell her girlfriend was disappointed, "Look – you made the reservation, I'll arrange the meal. Then afterwards, you pick what we do, okay? Anywhere you want to go."

Bo wrestled with her next question, but maybe it wasn't too late to change her plans if…

"Have you ever stayed here? I mean… you know… in the Inn?"

Lauren shook her head, "We've always stayed at the company cottage in Annapolis when we were in town. It's about an hour with traffic, but it's nice to use a place where you have your own clothes, room and toothbrush if you have to be here for an extended work week… or longer."

"So why aren't you staying there now?" Bo asked.

Lauren shrugged, "Honestly? Our time together has been so sporadic and last minute that I wanted to be close just in case we could swing some 'us' time."

Bo nodded, "I'm sorry my schedule has kept us apart this month. It's just that…"

"I understand, Sweetie. We just took down the entire leadership of the U.S. military. We should have thought ahead to the consequences… not that I would change the outcome."

"I know. I just hope it won't always be like this." Bo replied.

"Lauren! It's so good to see you!" The Chef arrived at the table with a smile on his face, taking Lauren's hand and kissing it.

"Patrick! It's good to see you as well. How are you?"

"I'm fantastic! My favorite Doctor has come to eat my food!" He smiled before looking at Bo, "Now, who is this incredibly beautiful…" He paused, standing to look at Bo's shoulders, "… oh my… a General?"

Lauren slapped her friend playfully, "Behave."

She smiled at Bo, "General Ysabeau Dennis, this is Patrick Connor, my friend the Chef."

"Ysabeau? What a unique and beautiful name. It suits you, my dear." He reached out and took Bo's hand, kissing it as he had Lauren's, "I'm sorry if that's not appropriate for a General, but Lauren will tell you I seldom follow anything that closely resembles a social norm. I believe in freedom of the soul."

Bo smiled, "No problem, Patrick. It's very nice to meet you."

"And you as well, Ysabeau." He nodded.

"Please, call me Bo."

"Bo it is." He turned to Lauren, "So, what would you like for dinner? Please tell me you're not going with your usual. You need to…"

"Expand my taste buds. I know, I know." Lauren laughed.

Bo hesitated, but took a breath and interjected, "Patrick? If you want to expand Lauren's taste buds, why not surprise us with dinner?"

"What?"

"Well, we're in your house. We would never tell someone what to cook for dinner if we were invited to eat, so let's pretend this is your house and your kitchen. We'll eat whatever you feed us."

He looked at Lauren who smiled lovingly at Bo and nodded, "Patrick's choice night it is!"

He stood, his grin morphing into a wide smile, as he clapped his hands together, "I am going to cook you the most amazing dinner you've had in your lives, ladies. I'll send over your best friend while I get your first course ready. Thank you, Ysabeau. This is going to be so much fun! Enjoy!"

Lauren laughed as her friend sped off to his kitchen without so much as a goodbye. She looked up at Bo,

"You just made his evening. Thank you so much."

Bo smiled, "My pleasure."

Lauren took as sip of her water, before putting the glass back in its place. They sat in silence for a long moment before Bo spoke,

"So… we're off to a bit of a rough start tonight, huh?"

Smiling, the Doctor asked, "Do you ever wonder why we sort of stumble around each other for a couple of hours before we relax when we haven't seen each other for a while?"

Bo shrugged, "It's probably me. I'm just… well… you saw me with Stacy. My mojo is gone. I think… forget it."

"No, Bo. Please. Talk to me. I think that's part of our problem. We talk about schedules and missions and our to-do lists, but we don't talk about how we're feeling."

The General sighed, "You're right. I've never been very good at sharing my feelings… not until I met you. I mean, not right away, but… at the Farmhouse. I don't know when it happened, but at some point, I just… trusted you."

Bo sighed, sitting back in her chair, "And then, I almost got you killed… and then I almost got killed twice…"

"Three times." Lauren corrected, "You're forgetting the two plane crashes."

Bo shrugged, "Well, there you go then. I think that with all of that, I've just had a big blow to my confidence. I feel… like a failure. No… I feel… inadequate."

Lauren asked, "How so?"

Bo shrugged, "Look at my life, Lauren. I went from the most respected pilot in the air to a General who needs around the clock escorts, a cane, special treatments to keep her legs functioning. My body… well, it's just one gigantic scar. I'm so much less than I was."

"Bo, you are so much more than you were. Think of all you survived. Think of how much richer your life is now than it was. Think of the possibilities. You've been given the green light to develop a program that is basically Navy S.E.A.L.S. for jets. All of the best pilots in the country are applying to join your program to train under the great Stick Dennis."

"Yea, well they won't be training with her unless I can get back in the cockpit and I won't pass my safety checks unless I can get in and out of the plane. How can I possibly train pilots if I can't do the job myself?"

Lauren shook her head, "You know, I used to run marathons."

"Ugh. Why in the world would you ever do that?"

"As you know, I was very young when I entered college. I was having anxiety over grades and keeping up with my older peers. One of my college professors told me that I didn't have to worry about keeping up because I was surpassing my older classmates by a large margin. He told me I looked tired and I told him I wasn't sleeping well – that when I closed my eyes, I couldn't turn off the facts and knowledge of the day from replaying over and over in my mind. He suggested that running would help me clear my mind."

"Well, since you ran marathons, I assume it worked?"

Lauren shook her head, "Not at first. I went out for a mile run the first night and by the time I'd made it back, there were three more things on my to-do list."

"You see. That's why I'm giving up running if I'm ever able to run again. It's dangerous."

Lauren chuckled as she continued, "Gradually, as I worked up my distance, things got better. I'd get focused on the rhythm of my breathing or the pace of my feet on the sidewalk. Eventually, I realized that after about the third or fourth mile, the day just didn't exist. My mind was completely focused on the sights, sounds and smells that surrounded me while my body just went on autopilot. When fitness trackers came out, I started setting distance goals and… well, eventually the goal of a marathon. Once I could do that, I wanted to run them faster."

"Yea, I'll take short and slow, thank you very much!" Bo quipped.

"Anyway, the point I was trying to make was that I no longer run marathons, but I could certainly train someone to do so."

Bo sighed, "Maybe, but I don't know another way to train a pilot than to be up there with them."

"Find one, Bo. Remember, you're not going to train just one pilot. You're going to be training squadrons of them in new techniques and strategies."

"In new planes." Bo smiled.

Lauren grinned, "I think you're going to love what we've come up with so far."

"I'm sure I will. Hey, did you put any of those neat tricks I heard about in them?"

"Neat tricks?"

"Yea. I was talking to Doc and Specter one night about how we made it off of the runway at the farmhouse and they told me about all of the safety stuff you guys had added that kept us safe. That big brain of yours comes up with some pretty cool stuff."

Lauren blushed, "Yea, pretty cool."

They both looked up when they saw the wine steward approach the table.

"Good Evening, Doctor Lewis. It's so very nice to see you again."

"Good evening, Christoph. How have you been?"

"I've had two trips to Italy, one to France and one to California since I last saw you, so I've been great. I found some great wines. I think I have the perfect wine for what Chef has planned for your dinner. Do you still trust me?"

Lauren smiled, "Of course, Christoph. You've never led us astray before."

He nodded, "How is Martin?"

"He's actually good. We just started a new company and he's in his element." Lauren replied.

"Still throwing himself into his work to forget?"

Lauren grinned, "Actually, he's not. He's worked with a purpose now. He's found something new that he's passionate about and, well, it's inspiring."

Christoph nodded, "So I guess this passion means I'm out of the running?"

Laughing, the blonde replied, "You were never in the running, Christoph. He only had eyes for his husband. Now, if you ever get the guts to give him a call and ask him out, you may just enter the race."

"Oh, there's others?" He asked.

"Nope. There's only his work and his newfound family."

"Family?"

Lauren nodded towards Bo, "For starters, this is General Ysabeau Dennis, my girlfriend."

Christoph looked at Bo, "Well, aren't you the special one. You've finally nailed down Dr. Lauren Lewis, huh?"

Grinning, she replied, "It's Bo and I guess I have."

He leaned back, eyeing Lauren with consideration, "Yup, you certainly have – hook, line and sinker."

Lauren reached across the table and took Bo's hand, "Fine by me."

The couple shared a loving glance before Lauren looked up at her friend, "Christoph, can you please bring the wine and get something on this table that we can eat? It's been a long week and we are very hungry."

He gave a proper bow of his head, "As you wish, Ma'am."

Giving her a wink, he left to get the wine leaving Bo and Lauren alone once again.

"Bo, I just want to ask you to give yourself time. We're still adjusting your treatments and your progress has not yet flatlined. As long as you're still improving, there is hope that you will regain full strength and mobility. Until then, please try to be patient and keep moving forward? They would not have chosen you for the job if they didn't feel you could do it in your current state. They know there's no guarantees about your recovery and they took you regardless. Bo, they put you in charge of the entire program!"

Bo nodded, looking down at their joined hands, "I guess so."

"Okay then. Enough talk about you being inadequate and no more trying to measure yourself against some self-imposed measuring stick. Tonight is the first night of our new lives."

"New lives?" Bo asked as the wine steward arrived at the table with two glasses and a bottle on ice, "Damn wine guy."

Lauren chuckled, whispering to her girlfriend, "He's actually called a sommelier."

They watched as he opened the bottle, Bo whispering, "Well, he interrupted the news flash about my new life, so just remember where we were so you can bring me up to date."

Lauren smiled, "I won't forget Sweetie." She turned to her friend, "Thank you, Christoph."

"You're welcome. This one came straight from Tuscany. Enjoy."

"We will." Lauren replied, swirling the wine in her glass before taking a sniff, "Lovely."

She took a sip and swished it in her mouth before swallowing, "That's amazing wine."

Bo picked up her glass and took a long swig, "Right. Now, can we get back to my new life?"

Lauren laughed, "Always in such a hurry."

"Well, my favorite speed is Mach 3 or higher." Bo smirked, "Now tell me all about this new life I'm about to enter into. I'm dying to know what's going to beat flying jets."

Lauren stood and extended her hand to Bo, "If you'll come with me, I'll show you."

Bo stared at Lauren's hand, rubbing her leg under the table, "Uh…"

"I promise, all you have to do is stand with some assistance. No cane required. I'll help you, Bo… if you'll let me. Please… lean on me?"

The brunette smiled, melting at the sight of the sincerity in Lauren's eyes, "Okay."

Christoph appeared next to them, "You're all set, Lauren."

"Thank you, Christoph. Please thank Chef as well."

Nodding, her replied, "I'm sure he'll come out to see you."

Lauren nodded as Bo slid her arm through the crook in Lauren's elbow and followed her towards the exit. They walked quietly out onto a patio, taking a small step onto a stone pathway into a garden with twinkling lights. Near the center was a large pond with a waterfall backlit with lights that glowed pink, purple, blue and orange.

Bo let out a breath, "This is… beautiful."

"I thought you'd like it. Chef mentioned it to me years ago when I was here on a business trip. He told me if I ever found that someone special, that he would treat us to the dinner of a lifetime in the most beautiful spot on the property. I agree… it is beautiful… and well worth the wait."

"You waited?"

Lauren nodded, "I told you, Bo. I've never been here with anyone but Martin."

They arrived at the table next to the fountain. Lauren pulled out Bo's chair and helped her into her seat. She lowered herself onto one knee at Bo's feet,

"I always planned to wait to use this special spot for the day when I felt certain that I'd met the woman who made my world tilt on its axis. You, General Ysabeau Bo Stick Dennis, are that woman. I know things haven't been smooth for us over the past year and ten months, but despite the rough spots, the thing that has never changed is the way thoughts of you consume my heart and mind every moment of the day. I carry you with me, Bo. Everywhere I go, I feel connected to you no matter how far apart, no matter how long. I've never felt that way with anyone. The truth is, it's taken me the first third of my life to find you. I plan to thoroughly the next third of my life living life at Mach 3 with you. And in the final third of my life, I plan to hold your wrinkly hand with my wrinkly hand and watch sunsets on the front porch of our retirement home… preferably near a body of water because it's relaxing."

She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a small velvet box, "Bo Dennis, will you share this night and ever night after with me until we're sitting on that porch watching the sunset together?"

Flipping open the lid, she revealed a modest diamond on a silver band, "Will you spend your life with me?"

Bo's hands covered her mouth, her eyes wide as she stared at the diamond in the box. Lauren watched as she slowly lifted her gaze to meet her own, eyes brimming with tears,

"You… you want… me?" Bo asked.

Lauren smiled, taking her hand, "Of course I do, Sweetie. Don't you know by now that you're my world? I know I gave you reason to doubt that when you were in the hospital, but I hope by now that you know I'm never giving up on us."

"You want me." Bo said, almost disbelieving the words as they escaped her lips, "You really want me."

"Yes, Sweetie. I do. But my question remains… do you want me?"

Bo's eyebrows raised, "Oh! Ohmagosh! I'm so sorry! Yes! Yes, Lauren! I want to share this year and next year and every year after with you!"

Lauren threw her arms around Bo's neck, holding on tight as they laughed, cherishing the moment together. Finally, Lauren pulled back and took Bo's hand in her own, slipping the ring on her finger.

Bo held her hand up, smiling as the diamond sparkled in the colorful lights, "It's beautiful, Lauren."

"You're beautiful, Bo."

Lauren stood, "Now, I'm starving!"

Bo laughed, "Me too. What is this yummy stuff."

"It's the Chef's famous homemade bread and freshly churned butter." She pulled back the cloth on the small basket, revealing various types of rolls, "He said that when he decided to open a restaurant in our nation's capital, he felt it only fitting that he did at least some things as they'd been done back in the day."

"Oh. My. God. Warm, soft, yummy bread. This is amazing. It literally melts in my mouth."

"Mmmm… thank you for choosing this place. It's so good to taste this bread again."

Bo smiled as two waiters arrived at their table, "What's this?"

Lauren smiled, "This is the first course. The soup. There will be five courses in all."

"You're going to have to roll me out of here." Bo said, waving the bread, "Get it? Roll me out?"

"Yup. That amazing sense of humor is the real reason I'm marrying you." Lauren chuckled, leading Bo to toss a napkin at her. Lauren protested, "Hey! Behave yourself. We're in a fancy restaurant."

"No, we're in a fancy garden and if you keep picking on me, you're going in the fountain."

"You wouldn't dare."

Bo laughed, "I completely would because it would be fun. However, I think you're safe since I can barely hold up my own body weight let alone both of ours."

"Lucky me."

"Darn straight." Bo said, slowly easing her spoon into the small bowl of soup to have a taste. It only took a moment before the flavors met her palate,

"Lauren, this Chef is amazing. This is so incredibly good."

The blonde nodded, "I think this is a new soup. I've had just about everything on the menu. This is new."

"Well, it's tasty." Bo replied, taking another taste.

"So, tell me. If money was no object and you had no responsibilities, a job, an oath, what would you want to do with your life?"

Bo paused over her soup for a long moment, contemplating the question before she looked up at Lauren and replied,

"Honestly, I've never found anything that can top flying a jet. I love it, Lauren. I really, really do. I wish jets weren't so expensive. I wish I could have one parked in my driveway. I wish I could fly it to and from California instead of having to travel commercial. Obviously, I wish I could just fly a jet without need for missions and bombing and firefights. I just love flying the way some people like riding horses or driving boats as a hobby. How about you?"

Lauren laughed, "Honestly, I would never stop coming up with inventions… my brain just comes up with stuff. I don't know how to turn it off and I don't think I would if I could. It's kind of a rush – maybe like the one you get with jets? Well, I get it from building them. I love finding an answer to a problem that seems unsolvable at first. I love helping people overcome the obstacles to living a long life. I love creating things that connect us all. I've built roads, bridges, community reservoirs so people have water, buildings for businesses and now top-secret military jets that will get pilots like my future wife home."

Bo grinned, "Future wife, huh?"

"Yup. Unless you've changed your mind already." Lauren smiled.

"No way. You asked. Now you're stuck with me." Bo replied.

"Being stuck with you will be my pleasure." Lauren declared, standing and leaning across the table to plant a lingering kiss on Bo's lips. She pulled back, smiling at her fiancé before leaning back in and deepening the kiss.

Bo's body roared to life, her mind reeling at the feelings surging through her as the woman she loved released the passion she'd withheld for over a year. It wasn't until a throat cleared behind them that they both stopped and looked up to see the waiters had returned. Lauren and Bo looked at each other and giggled before turning to look at the two young men,

"Sorry. We finished our soup."

The pair burst out laughing again, but looked up to see the waiters laughing as well. The head waiter, who neither had seen at first, peeked around the back of the waiter closest to Lauren and said,

"We'll shorten the time delay between courses."

Bo smiled, "Good idea."

The men laid more food on the table, taking away the soup bowls and spoons before leaving the area. The two women admired the large salad placed in front of them, Lauren spooning a bit on to each plate. This course was just as good as the previous and they shared conversation about the flavors and more about their hopes and dreams for their life together.

When the final course of the meal had come and gone, Chef came out to say his good byes before the pair stood from the table to walk back through the garden. Bo was leaning heavily on Lauren, her legs growing stiffer from sitting for so long. Finally, she spoke,

"Lauren, I'm so sorry, but I've really got to sit down."

The blonde helped her to a small bench by a path, sitting down beside her, "What's wrong?"

"I think I'm just stiff. All of the sitting I'm doing in meetings is not helping. I was stiff when I first sat down and then we just sat for three hours."

"Bo, I'm so sorry. I should have known…"

"Lauren, you couldn't know. I should have told you."

"Is there anything I can do?"

Bo shrugged, "Well, if I were home, I would do my towel stretches. That usually helps."

Lauren nodded, "I can be your resistance. Here we go." She helped Bo to the ground and knelt between her legs, hoisting her good leg onto her shoulder. Bo closed her eyes and covered her face with her forearm, trying to breathe through the discomfort that stretching always gave her at physical therapy appointments. She listened to the sound of Lauren's voice as she explained what she was going to do,

"Hamstrings first, then we'll do the piriformis, quads and groin. Hopefully after we stretch those out, you'll be loose enough to walk again."

"Well, we don't have to go far, so we don't necessarily have to do all of that here. We can wait until we get back to the… room." Bo cringed knowing she had just let the cat out of the bag… more like a mountain lion. She waited to see if Lauren picked up on it, but soon realized she was no longer being stretched. She moved her arm from her face and opened her eyes to see Lauren staring at her,

"You got a room?" Lauren asked.

Bo froze for a moment, but realized it was silly to panic now, "Yea. I mean, it was meant to be a surprise. We can cancel if you… well… I didn't know if you would want to stay together. I mean, I can get a second room if you aren't comfortable…"

"… sharing a bed with my fiancé?"

"Uh… yea. Something like that."

Lauren smiled, "Bo, I'm ready. If you're not, that's fine. I want you to be ready to, but I feel like we've had enough obstacles to intimacy. I want to be yours – completely. If you're not ready, that's fine."

Bo tried not to hesitate in her response, but she wanted Lauren to understand how she was feeling, "Lauren, I'm ready… I mean… I want to be ready. I'm just… so damn self-conscious. I know as a doctor on my various surgeries, that you've seen parts of my body and you've tended my wounds since I've been home so you also know my scars. I just don't want you to be…"

"Don't say it. Don't you dare say it. I could never be turned off by your body. You are so beautiful and I want to get to know your body, Bo. If you say no, I'll respect that. If you say yes, I can promise you'll have nothing to worry about."

Bo nodded and Lauren set back to the task of stretching her legs.

"So is our room in the Main House?" Lauren asked.

"Actually, it's not. They didn't have anything available. I rented The Gamekeepers Cottage complete with dark chocolate covered strawberries and champagne to be delivered at midnight via room service. I didn't see the cottage beforehand, but hopefully…"

"It's amazing! I got to tour it the second year I was here. It's perfect!"

"Good. I was so nervous about it." Bo said, groaning a bit when Lauren lowered her leg and switched to the other one.

"Does that feel better?" Lauren asked.

"Much. Thank you for doing this."

"Well, we're doing to be doing sickness and health, so I'd better get used to it." Lauren smiled.

"Hopefully more health than sickness." Bo smiled.

"Hopefully. Regardless, I'll be there for you, Bo. Always."

"And I'll be there for you too, Lauren. Always."

 _ **XXXXX**_

 _ **TBC… very soon!**_


	10. Chapter 10: Berry Committed

_**A/N:**_ _Shall we heat things up just a tad? Shorter than my usual… the warm up for the final chapter. Thanks to all who read and reviewed the previous chapter! I'm so grateful for the support from you all – especially my "Down Under, LTD." public relations firm from Twitter! (Okay, Ladies… I've got your business started for you! Good luck! Haha!)_

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Chapter 10: Berry Committed**_

 _ **The Path to the Gamekeepers Cottage**_

"I may need one more rest stop." Bo said, pointing to the bench just a bit further down the path they had been walking for the last fifteen minutes.

"I told you, Bo. There's no rush. We can stop as many times as you need to, okay?"

"Okay. Well, can we stop once more please?"

Lauren nodded, leading her towards the bench, "Of course."

A few more steps and they were sitting on the bench. Bo sighed, "I hate this."

"I know you do, Sweetie. But it won't be like this forever."

"I thought you said no guarantees." She replied.

"I said that your progress has not halted, so we still have hope you will regain full strength and range of motion, Bo. Please don't give up your hope."

"Yea. I guess it's all I have left."

Lauren pushed down her frustration and offered a smile, "You have me."

Bo sighed, "I'm sorry for being all doom and gloom." She took Lauren's hand, "You're right and I'm truly grateful for that. I just… I'm frustrated and sometimes I really struggle to keep perspective. You know – big picture and all? I guess…"

"You want to run, jump and leap tall buildings in a single bound?" Lauren laughed.

Bo offered a genuine smile, "Well, I did used to be a bit of a superhero. It's rough hanging up the cape. No one wants to be forced into retirement. I guess that's what it is. I feel like an old horse being put out to pasture before my time."

Lauren gave Bo's hand a squeeze, "I certainly see what you mean about struggling to keep perspective. You're not being put out to pasture, Bo. You're being reassigned to a job where that instinctive combat mind of yours can pass on your knowledge to the new generation of fighter pilots."

Bo shrugged, "Yea… now I just feel sort of old."

"Yea, you're definitely stuck in doom and gloom mode." Lauren smiled, "Have you considered going back to counseling?"

Bo was quiet for a long moment her eyes down, fixed on her hand in the blonde's. Time to fess up,

"I sort of already did."

Lauren was quiet and Bo was too nervous about looking up to find that hurt look on her girlfriends' face, so she continued,

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I mean, you sort of knew I was seeing her for appointments on occasion, but she felt I needed regular meetings and I knew I wasn't getting anywhere in my own head, so I agreed. I should have let you know – especially since it's just another thing crammed into my life that keeps me from being able to spend more time with you. I mean, I know that we promised to be honest and I specifically promised I would try to open up more and… well…"

Lauren's other hand found Bo's free hand, bringing it to a stop. The General looked up to see Lauren giving her a small smile,

"Bo, you don't need to explain. I'm happy to hear that you decided to talk to someone. I wish I could help you more, but I'm afraid what's happening in your mind is not in my wheelhouse of expertise."

"Yea. Mine either."

"I know you've felt a bit off for the last little while, but with proper therapy, time and patience, I know you'll work through this, Bo. I trust your strength and courage to see you past this little roadbump."

"Mountain."

Lauren laughed, "Okay, mountain, but I've never known Bo Dennis to let anything get in her way. I can't imagine this setback with your legs being any different. None of us are giving up, Bo but nothing we do will work if you give up."

The brunette nodded, "You're right and the last thing my wonder tech team needs is a patient who's not giving her all when they're giving me everything they've got."

Lauren smiled, "Now you sound like the Bo Dennis I know and love."

Bo grinned, "So… you love me, huh?"

"Yea. I sorta do."

"Good thing, cause I sorta do, too." Bo leaned into the blonde, giving her a nudge.

"You ready to go? It's not far now."

Bo nodded, "Just a few more minutes? This is a perfect spot to stargaze. Don't you think?"

Lauren looked up, following the General's line of sight, "It is a beautiful spot."

Linking her arm into Bo's elbow, Lauren leaned against her girlfriend, sharing the moment of beauty.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **The Gamekeepers Cottage**_

"After you." Bo said, waving Lauren into the cottage, but the blonde shook her head,

"You first. I know you want to get off of your feet." She replied.

The stubborn pilot smiled, "I can last a few minutes longer. I want to see the look on your face when you see the place. I mean… not that I've seen it, but I'm told it's quiet, quaint and cozy."

"Sounds relaxing." Lauren smiled, leaning in to give Bo a kiss on the cheek.

"And that's what this weekend is all about." The General replied.

Lauren grinned, her hand grazing Bo's cheek before she stepped across the threshold into the main room. Bo stood at the entrance, leaning heavily on her cane and the open door for support. She chuckled as she heard the blonde squeal,

"That poor thing!"

Bo stepped inside, "Well, it is called the Gamekeepers Cottage."

Lauren's hand moved from her mouth, "I know, but I didn't think there would be… geez, Bo… the poor things antlers are hanging over the fireplace."

Bo nodded, pulling her phone from her pocket and watched as Lauren moved closer to the large rack over the warm orange flames. The blonde smiled,

"Of course, they did make a fire for us."

Bo chuckled as her call was answered, "Yes. Hi, this is General Ysabeau Dennis in the Gamekeepers Cottage?"

She looked at Lauren and smiled, "Yes, everything is just as cozy as you suggested. There is one thing. I'm wondering if you would be able to temporarily take down the antlers hovering over our cozy fire?"

Bo nodded… then nodded again, "Mmmm… I see. Well, if that's the case, then I'm afraid we'll need to seek housing elsewhere for the evening as my guest is an avid member of PETA and does not believe in the meaningless slaughter of animals."

Bo nodded again, "Yes, Ma'am. I'm well aware that this is a historical landmark and is decorated in the manner in which the Gamekeeper would have decorated it back in the day, but this is not back in the day. It's 2018 and we have no need to kill innocent little Bambi on this property, now do we?"

"Mmmm… yes, please ask your Manager. I'll hold."

Lauren walked towards the General, "Bo, it's no problem. Really. I'll live with it for one night."

Bo smiled, "But will you lay with me by the cozy fire, staring up at the antlers hovering above us?"

Lauren cringed, "That does sort of take the romance out of it."

"Right out of it." Bo replied, holding up a finger, as she returned to the conversation, "Yes. Yes. That would be wonderful. Yes. Thank you. Thank you very much."

Bo ended the call and grinned at the blonde, "Our poor deceased friend will be staying elsewhere tonight."

"Oh thank God. I mean… I would have stayed regardless, but… I mean…"

"Lauren, it's okay. I may be a soldier, but aside from some fishing I don't usually make use of a weapon for recreational purposes." Bo smiled as a knock came at the door.

The brunette moved to get it, but Lauren raised a hand, "Bo, please… sit. You've been on your feet long enough. I want you mobile for the weekend. Please don't overdo it."

The brunette relented, moving to a chair by the fire while Lauren opened the door, revealing two maintenance workers carrying a toolbox,

"You called to have the trophy removed?" One man asked.

Lauren snickered, "Trophy? That's what you call Rudolph's antlers?"

The man rolled his eyes, "Fine. Where's Rudolph?"

Lauren pointed, leading the men into the cottage. Three steps in and the lead man stopped, saluting Bo as she settled into the chair,

"Ma'am. I… I… um… it's… it's nice to meet you." He said, his cheeks flushing red as his younger colleague gave him a nudge and a whisper. The man whispered back, the two chatting secretly like teenagers at a high school dance.

"Uh… do you want to let us in on the secret?" Bo asked.

The man laughed, "I'm so sorry, Ma'am. It's just… well… we heard that you were going to be here. We just never dreamed we'd actually get to meet you."

Bo looked at Lauren, "Hey Sketch. I have a fan club. What do you think of that?"

Walking over to Bo, she smiled, "I'm not surprised. You are quite charming."

Bo looked at the two men, "Hear that boys? She thinks I'm charming."

"We should get to work. Boss would have our hides if he knew we were interrupting your stay."

Bo shook her head, "That's quite alright. I think we can talk while you work, right?"

He pulled a wrench of our his toolbelt, "We sure can, Ma'am."

The younger man left the room, leading the other man to say, "He needs to get our ladder."

"That's fine. So how do you know of me?"

"Stick Dennis? Are you kidding? You're a legend… Ma'am."

"A legend? I'd think I'm a bit young for legendary."

"Oh, no offence intended, Ma'am. But I served under Admiral Burke. You and your squadron flew off of our carrier in the Gulf. You, Rage, Papa… Panther, Tiki, Boner… ya'll were amazing." He hesitated, knowing the wounds were probably still fresh.

Bo nodded, her eyes slowly lowering, "Yea… I guess we were… amazing."

The whole room was silent as Bo went into a world of her own…

 _ **Flashback…**_

" _Stick! You've got two on your tail! Break right and I can take out one." Panther's strong voice reached Bo's ears and she immediately obeyed her wingman, steering hard right, then rolling into clear air before hitting the brakes and pulling up, watching the second enemy aircraft fly by just as Panther's stinger missile hit its mark. Her jet shuddered from the force of the blast as Panther's cheer came through,_

" _Nice Top Gun move, there, Stick. Maverick would be proud. Now go get him."_

" _Roger that, Panther." Bo grinned as she accelerated into missile range and fired on the enemy combatant, pulling up just before the explosion rocked her craft._

" _That's quite a firework display you two've got going on over there. Care to help out Tiki and Boner? Rage and I have our hands full with these three." Papa's instructions came across loud and clear._

" _We're in, Papa." Stick replied, heading into the fray with Panther tight to her wing, "Tiki, Boner – wishbone on my count."_

" _Roger that, Stick." Tiki replied._

" _Givin' me a hard on with that sexy take charge talk, Stick." Boner said, laughing._

" _Focus, Boner. You're not out of the shit soup yet." Stick cautioned, "Three, two, one, break!"_

 _Stick and Panther flew in on two of the enemy jets as their fellow pilots split directions, allowing the assist to succeed._

" _Boner, on your left, Tiki, high right. Fire, fire, fire." Bo commanded, watching her subordinates carry out her command with precision._

 _Rage's voice sounded, "We're clear air, Stick."_

" _I'm going in. Sky cover." Stick informed, putting her aircraft into a steep dive while the others assumed cover formation above her position, gradually following her descent._

" _Red Team covering. Go get 'em, Stick." Rage replied._

" _Keep your distance, kids. Mamma will be back in a red-hot minute." Stick said, "Rage, if this goes sideways, get the kids home to bed."_

" _Now you know I suck at following orders, Stick. I think if Mamma's in trouble, the kids will likely follow no matter what her work wife says." Rage chuckled._

" _Well, the order stands regardless." Stick replied, "Though the sentiment is appreciated."_

 _Papa added, "Not just a sentiment, Stick. This here's reality. Now how 'bout you focus on taking out the target without getting yourself blown up with it, huh?"_

 _Stick laughed, "Roger that, Papa."_

 _ **Present Day…**_

"Bo?" Lauren placed a gentle hand on her girlfriend's shoulder, "Bo?"

Shaking her head, the General looked up, "What's that?"

She saw everyone staring at her and knew… she'd had another flashback. Why were they happening during the day now? They'd only ever come in dreams before.

The maintenance man cleared his throat, "Uh… General. About your team… I'm really sorry about Panther, Tiki and Boner. You have our condolences. I talked to a buddy of mine who's still onboard ship. You should know that the whole carrier mourned their loss. Full military salute at sea and all."

Bo looked up at the man, for the first time, seeing something familiar in his eyes, "Thank you… uh… Airman?"

The man nodded, "Yes, Ma'am."

"You seem a little young for retirement." Bo replied.

He knocked on his leg, "Titanium. Honorable discharge."

Bo nodded, turning to the clattering noise with the rest of the adults in the room. The Airman turned to his partner,

"Damn, Bobby. You trying to wake the dead?"

"Sorry, Harry. Not as nimble as I used to be."

Harry waved him into the room, "Come here. I want you to meet someone."

Bo sighed. As much as she wanted to be polite, she really just wanted to get out of her uniform and relax with Lauren. Still, she soldiered on as was always expected of someone in her position. Damn stars weighed heavy on her shoulders sometimes. She wondered if she would ever escape her past.

"Bobby, this here is one of the greatest pilots to ever fly. Colonel… uh… I mean… General Ysabeau Stick Dennis."

Bobby's eyes went wide, his dirty hands wiping streaks of dirt down the front of his dark blue work shirt, "I… uh… ohmagod… really?"

Bo gave a polite smile, "In the flesh."

The man raised his hand to salute, forgetting he had a wrench in his palm and wailed himself in the forehead.

"Oh, my. Are you okay?" Lauren asked, gripping the man's forehead as he fell forward to his knees, "Can you look up?"

Bobby looked up, giving Lauren a clear view of the welt already forming on his head.

"I'm fine, Ma'am. Really. I've suffered a lot worse." He laughed, knocking on his leg, "Why do you think they put Harry and me together? We're a matched set off the same carrier."

Bo's eyes went wide, "You… I know you." Her eyes fell on Harry, "You were on deck… my crash… took out the crew that was moving Mark's jet."

Harry nodded, "Yup. That was us. Panther came in hot, clean out of fuel with a hard landing. We were all pushing as hard as we could, knowing that you were only yards from the carrier. Guess we were too slow, but in all fairness, we were pushing something that was more a hunk of scrap metal considering the nose, a wing and the landing gear were gone. Damn crane failed or you would have had a clean deck to land on."

"No… I should have… I should have ditched… I saw it too late… I should have ditched…"

 _Bo's eyes were filled with terror as her mind shifted back to the end of her mission that night…_

 _ **Flashback…**_

" _Rage, you are all low on fuel. Get back to the carrier now. That's an order."_

" _Never leave your wingman. It's the rule." Panther quoted the manual, "I am not leaving you."_

" _And we are not leaving Panther." Rage shouted, "Now pull up, Stick. We're getting you back to that carrier if it's the last thing we do."_

 _They all watched as Bo's plane limped higher until in full view. Rage throttled back, allowing her to take in every inch of the Colonel's plane,_

" _You're flying on one engine… and by that, I mean, the engine is still attached, but dead… other than the flames coming off of it. Good thing you're so low on fuel."_

" _Yea, good thing." Stick replied as Rage came around to the other side,_

" _The engine that's keeping you in the air is barely holding on, so no fancy flying right now, Stick. Keep it low and slow, ya hear?"_

" _I hear ya." Stick replied._

 _Rage's hands went stiff on the control when she saw a hole in the side of the jet above the engine, "How's your atmosphere, Stick?"_

" _Hard to breathe. But that may be because of the shrapnel lodged in my left shoulder. I mean… I'm guessing it's shrapnel. I thought my approach was supposed to be stealth? How did they know I was coming?" Stick asked._

" _I'm not sure, Stick. That doesn't matter now. They're gone and you're still here. What matters now is that we make it back to the carrier. We're still five miles out."_

 _Stick shook her head, "You should go. By the time the five of you land, I'll be there."_

" _I'm Stick's wingman on this flight, Rage. You all should fly ahead. I'll stay on her wing and make sure she gets back. If she goes down, I'll know exactly where she is so the carrier can come and pick her up." Panther ordered._

 _The radio was silent for a moment as everyone considered all possible options. When no one suggested anything else, Rage spoke,_

" _Roger that, Panther. Tiki and Boner, you're in line first, then Papa, me, Panther and then Stick. Don't dilly dally up here, boss lady. You promised dinner and a movie back on base next week, so don't get any slick ideas about crashing and ending up in sick bay to avoid filling my belly with a top-rated steak."_

 _Bo chuckled, "Roger that, Rage. No dilly. No dally. Start descent on my mark." She sighed, seeing the carrier come up on her radar, "Mark."_

 _As each of her teammates began their landing pattern, a sense of dread came over her. She could sense that her plane was on its last leg. The throttle was sluggish at best, the steering was barely responsive and she was going to have to dump the rest of her fuel just in case she crashed. Of course, a fuel dump was dangerous since it may very well end up coating her entire plane since the tanks weren't where they belonged anymore._

" _Stick? Come back, Stick." Panther's voice reached her conscious mind._

" _I'm here, Panther."_

" _Stick, you okay?"_

 _She reached up, wiping her brow, only to find blood coating her hand, "Apparently not."_

" _What's going on, Stick?"_

" _Other than my plane is barely responsive? My shoulder isn't working well enough to handle the controls and I think I have a head wound that's making me a bit… confused. I've got blood in my eyes, so it's hard to see." She paused before adding, "Look, Panther. If I don't make it…"_

" _Stop that, Stick. Stop it right now. You're following my tail lights right to the flight deck, ya hear me? Now come on. My low fuel alarm has been going off for five minutes. It's now or never."_

 _Stick nodded, "Now it is, then. Just… if I don't make it through this landing, you tell Kenzi she was the most important thing in my life… even more than flying."_

" _Tell her yourself, Stick. Buck up and fly." Panther said, his voice determined not to give in to Bo's fears._

" _Roger that. Show me that fancy flying of yours so I can recommend you for a promotion." Stick replied._

 _Panther chuckled, "Now you're just teasing. But if you aren't, you damn well better live through this so you can make good on that promise. Now dump your fuel so you can come in nice and light."_

 _Stick grinned, "Not that I have much fuel weight to worry about. As for that promotion promise, I'll do my best. Good luck and get clear when you land. I'll be coming in hot. Dumping fuel now."_

" _Roger that." Panther said, "Carrier, this is Panther on approach."_

 _Bo kept her eyes on the wobbling tail lights in front of her. She checked her instruments, seeing that the storm they'd been flying through on their descent was worsening and wind speeds were going to make landing that much more difficult. The closer she got, the more she could see the ship yaw and that meant she was almost certain to crash on the deck with a jet that was almost purely ballistic at this point._

 _Her pulse raced as she aborted her landing when she saw that Panther had crashed on the deck, "Shit." Bo shouted, gripping the stick with both hands as she felt the jet pitch right as if to roll. Looking to her right, she saw open air, "Tower, aborting landing. Landing aborted, coming around for a second pass. Get that deck clear. I have zero fuel and I just lost an engine."_

" _Roger that, Stick. Watching your approach. One engine flamed out."_

 _Stick clarified, "Tower, no flame out. I dropped an engine in the ocean. Coming in heavy… heavier than heavy."_

" _Roger that, Stick. Emergency crews already on deck."_

" _Is the deck clear yet?" Stick asked._

" _Negative, Stick. Need another ten minutes." Tower replied._

" _Maybe you didn't hear me, Tower. I have one engine and have dumped all fuel to avoid exploding on impact. I am going to crash. Request permission to ditch."_

 _The Tower operator looked over his shoulder to the Admiral who shook his head, "Negative on ditch, Stick."_

" _Hell with negative! I'm going to kill people if I try to land on the deck!" She argued._

" _I say again, Pilot, negative on ditch. Tops wants that billion-dollar plane on deck. Make your approach."_

 _Stick shook her head, mumbling to herself, "Damn military and their damn money before lives approach." She clicked on the radio again, "Is the deck clear?"_

" _Make your approach, Pilot."_

 _Bo sighed, "Roger. Red Team leader on approach."_

 _She flipped off the intercom and began her descent to the carrier, "Make your approach, Pilot. My call sign is fucking 'Stick', not Pilot. Make your approach. Don't worry about your wingman being sprawled out in a heap of melted metal on the carrier deck. We're sure you won't hit him, though when your plane's belly that's covered in jet fuel causes sparks all over the deck, the explosion that kills you may also kill your wingman and all of the crew on deck! But don't worry. At least our precious plane will be safe!"_

 _As she approached, she could see the crew trying to push the crane to move Mark's plane off of her landing mark and for a moment, she considered disobeying a direct order and ditching, but when the winds gave the nose of her plane a last-minute bit of lift, she went for the landing, hitting hard. She bounced several times before the plane pitched and rolled, coming to rest against Mark's plane._

 _It was hot… a familiar kind of heat coming from behind her. She knew what it meant. Her plane was on fire. She wiped her face, instantly seeing much more blood coating her hand than before,_

" _Great. Another cut." She whispered as she was quickly surrounded by men in fire retardant suits who went to work putting out the flames. Her windshield was covered in foam and the heat lessened before she finally saw a hand wiping at the windshield._

" _You okay, Stick?" Came the familiar voice of her old friend Manes._

 _She offered two thumbs up._

" _Cover up. We're gonna have to break the glass."_

 _Bo laughed, "Wow. They're going to break the only part of the plane that wasn't broken. What the hell was I saving by landing on the deck?"_

 _When Manes stepped away, she saw a pair of eyes staring back at her. He looked to be in pain, his two hands on the nose of her plane. She recognized him as one of the young Airman that had joined the flight crew about a month ago, though she couldn't remember his name. She called out to Manes,_

" _He okay?"_

" _What?" Manes asked._

" _The Airman. What's wrong with him?"_

 _Manes shook his head, "We're working on him. Gotta focus on you right now, Stick."_

" _Manes, what's wrong with him?"  
_

 _She received no reply as the mechanic went to work, removing bolts from around the cockpit window. It took while, but Bo's eyes stayed locked on the Airman's as Manes worked. Finally, Manes called into her again,_

" _We're gonna pop the glass, Stick. See you in a minute."_

 _A white cover was thrown over the window, blocking her view of the Airman, "Manes! Wait! Manes! What's happening to the Airman! Manes! Manes! Answer me, dammit!"_

 _Suddenly, a rush of cool air hit Bo's face and arms reached in, gripping her beneath her armpits, lifting her from her cockpit and onto a stretcher. She looked around, frantically trying to see the Airman, but couldn't find him. She sat up on the stretcher,_

" _Stop! Stop the stretcher now! That's an order!"_

 _Bo rolled off the stretcher, finding her legs fully asleep. She dropped to the deck and looked up to see the crane lifting the bloodied nose of her cockpit into the air. Looking back at Mark's plane, she saw blood where her jet had collided with his. She saw Manes walked towards her and tried again to lift herself onto her feet, but again collapsed onto all fours._

" _Bo, what are you doing? You're hurt."_

 _She pushed his arms away, "What happened? What happened to the Airman?"_

 _Manes sighed, "Wrong place, wrong time, Bo."_

" _What's that mean?"_

" _He was pushing Mark's plane out of the way when yours skidded into him. He was crushed between the two planes with another guy who was next to him."_

" _No. NO!"_

" _Bo, it wasn't your fault. You could no more control that skid than the best pilot to ever fly a jet."_

" _Yea, well considering some argue that pilot is me, I would expect I could avoid hitting crew members!"_

 _Manes shook his head, "The crane failed, Bo. It was just bad luck."_

" _I don't accept that, Manes and you know it. Where are they?"_

" _Heading to surgery, Bo."_

" _Will they live?" She asked._

 _Manes nodded, "They're expected to, but…"_

" _But what?"_

" _But I'm not a surgeon, Bo. I don't know!"_

 _Manes waved the rescue crew over, "Get the Colonel on a stretcher and get her down to sick bay."_

 _Bo surrendered, looking up at Manes, "I should have ditched."_

" _You would have died, Bo… pulled in a wrecked plane to the depths of Davey Jones locker."_

 _She laid back on the stretcher, "I should have ditched."_

 _ **Present Day…**_

"I should have ditched… I should have ditched… I should have ditched…"

Lauren rushed to the General's side, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Bo. Bo!'

Bo shot up, "Ditch! Ditch!"

"Bo, it's me. It's Lauren. You're not in a plane, Sweetie."

Looking around the room, the former pilot sighed, "I… where's Harry?"

Lauren sat down on the bed beside her girlfriend, "They left a few hours ago. They helped me get you into bed. You… well, you sort of… zoned out and then seemed to just fall asleep. I guess you were exhausted."

Bo nodded, "Right. Exhausted."

Lauren knew that wasn't the case, so she proceeded gently, "The PTSD you mentioned earlier means you're not getting much sleep. You can expect that the flashbacks as well as the missed rest due to them will come sporadically for a while."

"A while?"

"Well, it is likely that in order to do your job, you've suppressed many memories, Sweetie. Now, they're all starting to come to the surface. Hopefully, they come slowly so that you can deal with each memory one at a time. However, sometimes they come more rapidly, forcing you to confront some of your more painful life events before you are mentally and emotionally prepared to handle them."

"So, what? I'm heading for a nervous breakdown?" Bo snapped, unexpectedly causing Lauren to flinch.

Bo watched as the blonde stood, moving to the end of the bed. She couldn't blame her, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. You've been nothing but patient and supportive of me. I guess it's not easy being with a nutcase, huh?"

Lauren sighed, leaning against the tall bedpost at the foot of the bed, "You're not a nutcase, Bo. You're a soldier who has been asked to experience horrific things by men in suits sitting safely behind desks."

Bo frowned, "So you're saying what? That I'm some pathetic puppet?"

Lauren tread carefully, "Considering the trial we just endured and the men in suits we put behind bars who sent you on missions that were meant to kill the average pilot?"

"Wow. Now that you've put it that way, I guess I am pretty pathetic." Bo replied, sitting up in the bed.

"Bo, you never could have known that these men were pure evil… that they were trying to kill you." Lauren said, sorry she'd ever made the comment.

Quiet for a long moment, Bo looked up at the blonde, "I went there… in my mind. Those two guys… Harry and…"

"Bobby."

"Yea. Bobby."

"What about them?" Lauren asked, trying to keep Bo from traveling back to the incident in her mind. She sighed with relief when the brunette looked up at her again,

"Tiki, Boner, Rage, Papa, Me and Panther were on a mission. It was quite the party and when we'd finally fought through their defenses, I was supposed to suicide dive into an office building and take it out with two stingers. The mission was a success, but on the way in, they had surface to air missiles at the ready that our intel hadn't mentioned. My plane was pretty shot up, but we limped back to the carrier regardless. Tiki and Boner flew lead. They were amazing taking out enemy fighters before they could get to me. Rage and Papa flew clean up and Panther was my wing."

She frowned, thinking to what came next and whether or not she wanted to share it with Lauren or not. What would she think of her?

"Bo?"

"I… you don't want to hear war stories. We're here to have a date night."

Lauren came to sit beside the brunette again, "I want to know, Bo. I want to know why you drift away sometimes." She fumbled with her fingers, "Honestly, it would be nice to know what you're thinking about when we're together and you seem disinterested in me."

"Oh, Lauren… I'm never disinterested in you." Bo replied, "I just… I mean…" Bo huffed, upset with herself for upsetting this wonderful woman yet again. Why did she always seem to put her foot in her mouth? She thought for a moment, remembering what she was told over and over again in therapy,

"I'm sorry I made you feel that way. You know, my therapist… she told me that sometimes I rush my thoughts… that… well, that it's okay to take a beat and think about what I want to say before I say it. She said it's not unbecoming someone of my military status to think before I speak or act. She said it was likely a conditioned response to react, whatever that means."

Lauren nodded, "What she means, sweetie is that in your job as a pilot, if you didn't react – that is, have an answer to the problem right away – you could have ended up being shot down. When you fly as often as you did, it became a necessary response to react quickly… to always have the right answer or you could end up quite dead. But on the ground…"

"There's no risk to life and limb if I slow down and think about what I want to say?"

"Exactly." Lauren replied, giving the brunette a long moment to think.

Finally, Bo nodded and looked up at the doe-eyed woman of her dreams, "You are everything to me, Lauren… everything. I'm never disinterested in you. I think what I've been is afraid that you might feel differently about me if you knew… certain things about me."

"Things?" Lauren asked.

"My job… it required me to do things that… well… I'm afraid if you knew… about the things… that you would feel differently about me or see me differently… as someone you wouldn't want to be with… be afraid to be around."

Lauren sighed, offering Bo a smile, "Sweetie, I'm well aware of what you've done as a pilot and I'm pretty sure there's a good deal of regret and guilt that comes with the job. But remember, Bo, I was there are the Farmhouse with you and the rest of our team."

She paused a moment, wanting to be careful that she didn't say the wrong thing either, "When I was younger and getting dragged to military functions by my Mother, I was well aware of what the job was and what was being done. Remember that I desperately wanted to please… 'he who shall not be named', so that I could appease my Mother's desire that I be everything he wanted in a daughter. I studied the military and then I went to a military zone as a doctor. It was hard to see, but I never once blamed the soldiers for the patients that came to me. I blame human nature… greed, lust for power, anger…"

She sighed, looking up at Bo, "When I decided to build jets, it was to protect those who serve… to protect soldiers like you. So, please… let me help you with this. Let me be your sounding board for whatever is happening in your head. I want to be here for you, Bo… if you'll let me."

Bo nodded. She reached out, taking Lauren's hand in her own,

"I just want you to understand that it's not just that I don't want to tell you… it's that it's hard… to go back there… in my mind. I can't tell you how many times I was sent to counseling. Of course, now I know that was probably them trying to get me out of the cockpit on a Section 8."

"Psych discharge."

Bo laughed, "Probably worse than that. They probably would have had me committed and drugged up to keep me quiet. Wow… that's the first time I'm admitted that was even a possibility to Hanes and his goons."

Lauren sighed, shaking her head, "Well, thankfully that was not the case."

Bo nodded, growing quiet again before looking up at Lauren,

"I'll try."

Lauren smiled, "That's all I ask. You can tell me as much or as little as you'd like."

Steeling her will, Bo began,

"The mission went sideways, but the team got me back to the carrier. Everyone was really low on fuel so we were landing in succession. Everything had to sync up on the deck if there were to be no accidents. Tiki and Boner went in first, then Rage and Papa. Panther and I were last, but he was on empty. I was following his tail lights. I had a head wound that kept bleeding into my eyes and there was a storm. The winds were rocking my jet around… his too. I could see his tail wagging as he landed and then… he crashed onto the deck. I had to fight the tailwinds of the carrier plus crosswinds… I… I had to abort my landing, but… I don't know… I don't know… somehow I made it back up to around 10,000 feet. It's a blur… it's always been a blur. I don't know how I made it. I really don't know how I made it. I should have crashed into the ship. I saw the ship and then I was in the air. I don't know how."

She swallowed hard, wiping her brow as a surge of heat invaded her body. Lauren squeezed her hand, "Breathe, sweetie. Just breathe."

Bo nodded before she continued, "When I came back around, the wreckage was still there. That was the second time I thought I was going to die. My engine… I never heard it sound like that before… I knew I was sucking fuel. I requested permission to ditch, but Tops denied the request. I was forced to land. I wanted to disobey orders and ditch… I knew I was going to crash. I had half of one wing. One engine had already fallen off when I aborted the first landing attempt and the second engine was ready to detach. I had a breached cockpit from being fired on and I couldn't see a thing with all of the blood in my eyes. I was going to crash and nothing was going to stop that. It was just a matter of choosing to crash on deck or in the ocean. On deck, I had a 50/50 chance of survival. In the ocean, I was likely to die unless by some strange miracle, my busted ship allowed me to eject before landing."

"As an aeronautical engineer, I can say that ditching would have been the less desirable choice under those conditions." Lauren said, "I mean… if that pause was for my opinion to be inserted… for what it's worth."

Bo smiled, "So… on approach, I had decided to ditch. I mean, what were they going to do to me if I died disobeying a direct order, right? But at the last second, the storm blew a gust of wind beneath the nose and lifted the plane up. Last second decision, I landed… well… crash… landed. I skidded and rolled before ramming Marks' plane with my nose."

Lauren nodded, "That's how you met Harry."

Bo shrugged, "I don't know that I'd call it meeting the guy. I stared into his eyes wondering why he was just standing there in front of the nose of my plane with the other guy just standing there next to him. I couldn't stop looking at him. That's why today… when I saw him and he told me who he was… I just… I knew…"

Lauren sighed, watching the brunette struggle with the realization. She placed a gentle hand on her cheek and spoke softly,

"Bo, he told me he was pinned between the two jets with Bobby right next to him. Two young Airman who both lost their legs but survived to tell the tale." Lauren explained.

"Survived, yes. But they lost…"

Lauren placed a finger over Bo's lips, "You should know Bo… that Harry told me… two weeks after he and Bobby were choppered back to base, there was another jet that crashed on deck. It slid off the main landing strip, the tail cable snapped, and it exploded along the rail where their entire crew was watching. Everyone was killed, Bo. Their entire crew. Harry said he and Bobby have always wanted to meet you to thank you for not ditching that night. If you had…"

"They'd be dead?"

Lauren shrugged, "That's what they believe."

"Everything happens for a reason." Bo whispered.

"What's that?" Lauren asked.

Bo looked up at the blonde, "Something my Mom always said. Everything happens for a reason. You just have to trust that's why things happen that you don't understand. Eventually the reason will reveal itself."

Lauren smiled, "Ah, yes. The Grand Design."

"The what?"

"Something my Mother always said. She believed that the universe had predetermined every event from the beginning to the end of time and it was called the Grand Design. When I was first trying to decide between the military and college, she said that no matter what I chose, I would eventually end up in the field that would fulfill the Grand Design. I hated that she said that. It made me feel like my decisions were never my own and let's face it… we all know how much Lauren Lewis needs to be in control."

Bo laughed, "Yes, we do know that, although I must say that you have been much better at relinquishing control than you were when we first met."

Lauren grinned, "Says my better half who also likes to be in control."

"Guilty as charged." Bo replied, squeezing Lauren's hand.

The pair sat there, looking at each other for a long moment before Bo finally spoke,

"So… I guess this isn't exactly how I expected this night would play out. I'm sorry that my mind got in the way."

Lauren leaned forward, running her finger along the inside edge of some loose strands of hair that had fallen across Bo's eye. She slid them back behind her ear, her hand coming to rest along her jaw,

"Your mind is complex, filled with memories of a life well-fought and dreams not yet lived. Your mind is a beautiful place to visit, no matter what comes from it. Thank you for sharing it with me. Tonight of all nights, it was very special. You haven't let me in like that before, so I think it's exactly what I was hoping for on our first overnight date night."

Lauren grinned, leaning in to place a soft kiss on Bo's lips before pulling back, "So, about a half hour ago, a special delivery came. I just wasn't sure if it was for before or after whatever you had planned."

Confusion riddled Bo's face as Lauren stood and moved across the room to the small refrigerator. The General grinned when she saw the blonde carrying a large decorative plate covered with pink plastic wrap.

Lauren sat beside Bo again and pulled back the covering, "Is there anything you want to tell me about why you ordered midnight chocolate covered strawberries?"

Bo blushed, "Well, I love chocolate and I love strawberries, but I especially love whoever thought of putting the two together into one delicious – sort of healthy – snack."

"Healthy?" Lauren asked.

"Well, dark chocolate, I've heard, is good for your blood and heart. Strawberries are good for… well… all sorts of things." Bo grinned a devilish grin.

"Is that so?" Lauren asked, taking a bite of a strawberry, allowing her lips to linger around the chocolate-covered red fruit before pulling the piece into her mouth, savoring the burst of fresh flavors. She moaned with satisfaction as the cool, sweet treat settled on her taste buds, "These are delicious."

Bo smiled, taking a bite of her own, "I'm glad you approve."

Lauren placed the plate on the bed and slid back to the end, leaning against the bedpost, "So, General Dennis, if we were to resume this date night from just before the entrance of the maintenance crew, what would we be doing?"

"Well, just before the maintenance crew would mean we're still staring at that poor animal's head hung over our roaring fire."

Lauren laughed, "I stand corrected. So, if we had entered and there were no dead pet heads hanging over the hearth, what would we be doing?"

The blonde propped herself up with both elbows behind her, grinning at Bo, her eyes twinkling with expectation and delight at the light turn in the conversation.

Bo considered the question for a moment before she grinned and replied, "I believe you would be massaging my legs in front of the roaring fire, while not having to look at the huge buck head with antlers over the fireplace."

"Alas, Bambi had been removed and the fire is probably more red embers than roaring, so two of the three are still possible." Lauren smiled, taking another strawberry from the tray.

"What? I'm not massage worthy?" Bo mocked hurt feelings.

Lauren laughed, "Of course you are. I did the massage when you were asleep along with your injections. You didn't notice that your legs felt better?"

Bo looked down at her legs, bending each knee, "Ohmagosh! They feel…" She looked up at Lauren, "Thank you. They feel so much better. Honestly, when we first got here, I thought I was done for the night."

"Well, the new injections coupled with the new settings on that contraption they're strapping you into at therapy should help the regeneration they're trying to achieve. We'll know if everything isn't quite right because your progress will taper off and you'll likely experience some unusual muscular reactions."

Bo nodded, "I feel like such a lab rat sometimes."

Lauren had to acknowledge Bo's feelings when it came to the therapy. It really was trial and error, so she could understand why her girlfriend might feel that way,

"I'm sure you do, but I hope you realize the progress that you've made is unheard of in standard medical practice today." Lauren encouraged.

"So they say. I guess I'm just being impatient when I should be grateful to be standing at all." Bo replied.

"I think you would still be standing. It just would have taken months to years instead of days to weeks." Lauren replied, "So… what did you have in mind for our date night?"

Bo held up a finger, "Date weekend, I hope."

"I see. You plan to keep me captive in this room for the entire weekend?" Lauren asked.

Bo grinned, "If that would be your idea of a date weekend, I could work with that."

Laughing, the blonde replied, "But whatever would we do for almost forty-eight hours in this room?"

"I could think of many, many things." Bo smiled, though she was beginning to get nervous.

"Hmmm… and what things are those, General?" Lauren asked, rolling onto her side and propping her head up while her free hand analyzed a chocolate covered strawberry.

Bo swallowed hard, struggling to think of a comeback, as she looked at the curve of Lauren's hip, but she had nothing... truthfully, her brain had gone numb. She pulled herself up, sitting upright against the headboard. It was time. She gathered all of her courage and looked at Lauren,

"You love me, right?"

Lauren sat up, concerned, "Of course I do, Bo. What's wrong?"

"Honestly? Me."

"What do you mean, Sweetie?" Lauren asked, sliding off the bed and walking over to check Bo's legs, but the General stilled her hands,

"No, Lauren. I don't mean there's anything physically wrong with me. I mean… my head."

"We talked about that, Bo…"

"No, not the PTSD, the flashbacks, my job… I just… I'm not me anymore, Lauren. So much has changed and I just… I'm not the same woman, pilot, commanding officer… or lover."

Lauren smiled, "Bo, are you worried about making love with me?"

Bo threw back the covers and slid her legs off the bed, cringing when a sharp pain hit, but passed quickly. She found her footing and stood with relative ease. Ever the doctor, Lauren asked,

"Are your legs okay?"

Bo nodded, "Much better, actually. Thanks."

She paced back and forth, searching for the words,

"You know, I used to be somewhat of a catch back in the day. Guys and girls alike used to hit on me at the Dal Riata. If I wanted someone in my bed, it would happen and if I didn't, then I was alone by choice. Most people wanted more than one night, but I was more of a one-night stand kind of girl. No attachments made it easier to do my job the way I did. I tried the whole girlfriend thing, as you know, but it never felt right for me. I always wanted to be single… until you."

She stood staring at Lauren for a long moment, "At the Farmhouse, the urge was strong, but it was an urge that felt very similar to the urge I had at the bar. Waiting changed that. It's like I grew up… I learned what the difference was between sex and making love only… honestly… I've never made love in my life, Lauren. I really don't have any idea what I'm doing."

Lauren smiled, walking over to meet Bo, taking her hands in her own, "Bo, I can't say that I've never made love before. Nadia was…"

"I know… the love of your life… so you thought." Bo gave her a sad smile.

"So I thought until I met you. I never felt for Nadia what I've felt for you, Bo. I was never willing to give up my career or job for her… or for Jeannette, for that matter. With you… yes, we took it slow and for that, I've grown too. Now, I feel like I'm ready to experience what it feels like to be with someone you want to give everything to… share everything with."

Bo smiled, "I feel like I'm ready for that too… I'm just… nervous about doing it… wrong."

Lauren slid her hands up Bo's arms to her neck, "Bo, I don't think it's possible for us to do anything wrong if what we do to and for the other is because of this love we share."

"You see… you always seem to know just what to say." Bo smiled, "You do everything right. I just hope I can do right by you."

Lauren nodded, "Bo, you don't have to be perfect for me. I love you for you. Just be you, Bo. That's all I'll ever need. Just be you. With all of your strengths and weaknesses. With all of your successes and failures. With all of the best parts of you and all of your faults. Just give me you… all of you… and I'll be happy for the rest of my life."

Bo smiled, "That's a very long time, Doctor Lewis. Are you sure you're ready for that type of commitment?"

"Honestly? I'm ready." Lauren smiled.

Bo nodded, "Me too."

Lauren leaned in, placing her head on Bo's chest. The brunette wrapped her arms around her girlfriend, holding her tightly. The blonde listened to the rapid thumping of Bo's heart until it settled into a slow, methodic, relaxed rhythm. Bo felt the easy breathing of her girlfriend. It was easy to relax into the feel of her comforting breaths… in… out… in… out.

"I could stay like this forever." Bo whispered into Lauren's hair.

"I'd much rather be lying down… maybe in front of that roaring fire?"

Bo ran her fingers through the blonde strands, "How about I go get the fire going again while you get changed?"

Lauren pulled back, giving Bo a kiss on the lips, "Sounds perfect."

Reluctantly, they released each other, moving to accomplish the discussed tasks before Bo called out, "Don't forget to bring the strawberries out!"

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Last one." Bo said, holding up the last strawberry, her free hand holding up her head.

Lauren frowned, her position mirroring Bo's as she spoke, "Can we order more?"

Bo chuckled, "You've eaten like ten of these. Aren't you full?"

Shrugging, she replied, "Not really. I told you, I love strawberries. I once ate an entire bushel."

"You did not." Bo replied.

"Okay, so not all in one sitting, but definitely in a twenty-four hour period."

"I'm surprised you don't have a little tuff of greens growing from the top of your head." Bo replied.

"Har. Har." Lauren laughed before leaning in and snatching a bit of the strawberry that Bo was pointing at her face.

"Hey! You bit my berry!" Bo scolded before letting out a hearty laugh.

"It's called sharing." Lauren countered.

"But I had plans for that berry." Bo smiled, leaning into the blonde who rolled onto her back, pulling Bo onto her.

"Oh yea? And what plans were those?" Lauren asked, nipping at Bo's neck.

"I guess you'll have to wait until another tray is delivered to find out." Bo said, pecking at Lauren's lips before the blonde flipped them over and quickly pulled away, jumping to her feet.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Bo moaned.

"To call room service so you can fulfill your plans. I'm dying to have the Bo Dennis strawberry experience!"

"Well, hurry up and get back over here. I need more cuddles and more kisses and more… well… everything."

Lauren laughed, "Everything, huh?"

Bo back peddled, worrying that she was being too suggestive, "I mean… I don't mean… I mean… I don't want to rush you. I mean… making out is fine. I just meant… I mean…"

Lauren chuckled, "I do want everything. In case you haven't noticed, I'm ready, Bo. I don't want to wait anymore. I want you. All of you."

Lauren lifted the phone to her ear, "Yes, Room Service? We're in the Gamekeepers Cottage and we want more of everything." Lauren laughed, giving Bo a wink.

In that moment, Bo felt bold. Sitting up, she ripped open her shirt, popping all of the buttons before pulling her Air Force T-shirt over her head, revealing a navy-blue, lacy bra that propped up her cleavage quite nicely.

Lauren's eyes went dark, her mouth open as she tried to focus on the call with the room service representative,

"Yes… uh… berries… ripe… berries…"

" _Excuse me?"_

"Uh… strawberries… chocolate… I mean… chocolate and strawberries… I mean… chocolate covered strawberries… more, please… many, many more… to the…" Lauren tried again, her eyes fixed on Bo's ample breasts.

" _Gamekeepers Cottage. Yes, Ma'am."_

"Thank you." Lauren replied, dropping the phone to the floor.

Bo grinned, "You're welcome."

"I meant… I mean… I was saying thanks to room service."

Bo slid her hand slowly along her neck, down to her chest, cupping one breast, "So you're not grateful for the view?"

"Umm… no… I mean… yes… I… uh…" Lauren slowly forced her legs to carry her to the brunette, coming to stand before her.

"Could you put another log on the fire? It's a bit chilly in here." Bo said, her fingers circling the erect nipples peeking out through the lace of her bra, "See?"

"I do. That's a problem." Lauren replied, taking two steps back to the fire to lift a few more logs onto the flames. She stared at the orange glow, taking a deep breath and gathering her courage before turning back to the brunette who was now lying down, propped up on her elbows, "My God, you're beautiful."

Bo looked down at her chest, "I guess it's nothing you haven't seen before."

Lauren walked slowly to her, coming to stand with one foot between her ankles, "Honestly, when you're draped for surgery and covered in tools, gauze and incisions, it's hard to notice anything else. This truly is the first time I'm seeing you… like this… I mean… as a woman… beautiful and sexy as hell."

The blonde pulled her own sweater up and over her head, then pulled off the tank top she had on beneath revealing nothing but skin. Bo's eyes were transfixed on the blonde's body as she lowered herself to her waiting arms,

"My God, Lauren. You're beautiful. Are you sure you want this scarred up mess of a body?" Bo said, her eyes squeezing shut for just a moment as she realized she'd forgotten about the scars that were now revealed to the blonde.

"Bo, look at me." Lauren said, tilting the brunette's face up to meet her own, "I love you… scars and all. Now, we've spent hours in front of this fire opening up to each other about our fears and our dreams. Don't you dare shut down on me now. Every scar on this beautiful body of yours tells a story of a battle you survived to be here with me, right now, in this moment."

She captured Bo's lips in a fiery kiss, allowing the hunger she'd denied for more than a year to take over. Bo relented, her hips rising up to meet the blonde's as they moaned into each other's mouths until the General finally broke the kiss,

"God, Lauren. I've wanted this for so long." She gripped her face, staring into her eyes, "I want you in ways I've never wanted anyone. I feel you in ways I've never felt anyone. There's this… energy… an electricity between us that draws me to you."

She kissed the blonde once more, before releasing her lips to trail her mouth over her jaw line and down her neck. Lauren tipped her head back, allowing the brunette better access to anything she desired. She watched as Bo's mouth roamed over her chest, her glistening lips, wrapping around a taut nipple and sucking gently. Instinctively, the blonde's hips pressed into Bo's as a surge of need rushed straight to her core, the fire burning hot as she watched her lover's lips wrap around her other nipple.

Lauren pushed the brunette back onto the fur rug,

"My turn." Was all she said as she captured Bo's lips in a fiery kiss, her tongue seeking a way to fill a void she feared all the kisses for the rest of her life could never fill to give her satisfaction. She would always want Bo Dennis and would never get enough of this feeling. She tugged at the navy-blue lace, frustrated by its presence,

"This needs to be gone."

Bo rolled over just enough for Lauren's fingers to do the trick on the hooks before she pulled the bra from Bo's shoulders with one tug, giving her full view of two plump breasts,

"If I die with even one of these in my mouth, I die happy." The blonde said, leading Bo to chuckle as she watched her girlfriend feast on her flesh until she had her fill.

"Tired of them?" Bo asked, slipping her arm behind her head as the blonde lifted her mouth.

"Not at all. I'll be back. I just want to taste something else for a bit." The blonde grinned.

A knock sounded followed by a voice, "Room Service."

Lauren placed a finger over Bo's lips before she could speak, "Don't. Move. Not an inch. Not a muscle."

"Ma'am, yes Ma'am."

"Your mouth moved. Stay." Lauren said, pulling on the General's jacket before topping off the look with her hat.

"I salute the new uniform of the United States Air Force." Bo winked, "Topless. Good choice, General."

Lauren glanced down at the brunette's breasts, "Well, at least part of you showed enough respect to stand at attention."

Bo laughed as Lauren ran off to the door, pulling it open a crack to take the tray, "We'll give you an extra special tip with room service breakfast at…say… 10am?"

"Yes, Ma'am. Do you want to order?"

"Pancakes, bacon… lots of crispy bacon, scrambled eggs with whatever vegetables you have and coffee."

"Anything else?"

"More of these. They're delicious. Definitely more of these with breakfast."

"Yes, Ma'am. Enjoy."

Lauren smiled, "I certainly will. Thank you."

Closing the door, she turned back to Bo, holding up the tray of strawberries as she strode towards the brunette. She handed her the tray before unbuttoning her girlfriend's trousers, gripping both the belt and panties and pulling them off all at once. Bo placed the tray over her lower region, but Lauren wagged a finger at her,

"This goes here." She said, placing the tray between Bo's thighs before revealing her own lower body to her girlfriend.

"I-I…" Bo placed her hands over her abdomen and legs, "I…"

"Bo…" Lauren began, lifting her girlfriend's eyes to meet her own, only to find tears welling up in the brunette's eyes, "Baby…"

"I wish I could be beautiful for you." Bo sat up, wrapping her arms around Lauren's torso, holding on as if the blonde was going to run from the room at the sight of her.

"Bo, you are beautiful to me, Sweetie." Lauren said, trying to loosen Bo's vice-like grip, but to no avail, "Bo, please. Listen to me. I told you that those scars are not going to scare me away. They're part of who you are and I love you – unconditionally."

"But… they're so ugly. Are you sure you don't want to turn out the lights or have me cover up?" Bo asked, still not letting go.

Lauren shook her head, whispering in her girlfriend's ear, "Never. I want to see you, Bo. You're beautiful to me just the way you are."

She reached behind her and gripped Bo's wrists, moving them to the brunette's sides. She gently placed a hand on each shoulder and pushed her back down onto the fur rug, placing a hand on either side of her ribcage.

"I'm so very much in love with you, Ysabeau Dennis." She said, using a finger to push her hair behind her ear so she could see Bo more clearly, leaning in to kiss her pouty lips. She trailed kisses along her jaw, down her neck to her chest, stopping to examine the quarter-sized hole just above her breast,

"This mark…" She ran her finger over the spot before placing a light kiss on the marred skin, "… is where a bullet almost took you from me. Seeing this spot reminds me that I should never take you for granted, because life is too short."

She moved lower to the upper right side of Bo's abdomen, "This larger mark reminds me that things are not always as they appear. I thought this mark was it… that you were going to die. I… couldn't fix you… but we were looking in the wrong place."

She moved her finger up to trace the small scar above her breast again, "This was where I should have been looking… at your heart… not your gut." She looked down at the scarring on her upper abdomen again, "Where I'm concerned, it's always about your heart… this is just for looks."

She slid further down Bo's body to the lower left side and middle of her abdomen, "Just in case I forget, these scars are here to remind me that life is short and that we have family and friends who care about us… about you… people like Kenzi and Tamsin that will always be there to protect and support us. This is where Tamsin literally put you back together and Kenzi gave her the tools to hold everything together until we could work on you. If Tamsin hadn't acted as quickly as she did, you wouldn't be here today, Bo. I never have to worry about you when she's around."

Finally, she moved to the tops of Bo's thighs, tracing the smaller incisions made by a skilled surgeon, "And these two thin lines are the reason you and I will dance…" She looked up at Bo, "… at our wedding one day… if we ever decide to take that step. It's beneath these small lines that tiny sensors receive messages during your treatments reminding these beautiful, long, strong legs how to do the two-step."

The pair laughed, Bo asking, "I know how to do the two-step?"

Lauren smiled, "I'm sorry. I thought your therapy included a software memory chip that taught your legs how to be Fred Astaire to my Ginger Rogers?"

Bo chuckled, "Sorry, Doc. I don't think they remembered to put that chip in. I got nothin'."

Lauren smiled, "Well, I guess I'll have to settle for knowing that these little scars will offer me a nice long slow dance." She placed a light kiss on each line before looking up at Bo again, "So you see, to me, these marks go way beyond ugly scarring. They're the story of how you and I came to be. They're reminders of what we fought through to be here on this night. They're part of our story, Bo. They're part of us. No one will ever know they're there except us and those closest to us."

Bo returned the smile offered to her by Lauren, "I guess I hadn't thought of my scars that way. To me, each one is a failure. A reminder of a time when I wasn't good enough."

"Really? With every one of these marks, you were outnumbered and outgunned, but lived to tell the tale. I'd call that a win every time." Lauren reminded.

A tear escaped, trailing down Bo's cheek, "I guess that's another way to look at it."

"I do love your body, Bo. Every mark, scratch, blemish, scar, blush and curve. This is the canvas life has created on you and I intend to add my own painting to it tonight, tomorrow and every day after as long as we live."

Lauren reached up, cupping the brunette's breast with her hands, her thumbs moving slowly back and forth over the rapidly hardening peaks while her body slid between Bo's muscular thighs. Her mouth found the soft, swollen folds of skin, her tongue dipping between them, finding her lover as wet as she'd hoped.

Bo's hips rose up to meet the movement of the blonde's tongue, a quiet moan filling the room to accompany the crackle of the wood burning in the fireplace. The backdrop of orange and yellow hues coming from the fire behind Lauren only added to the heat she felt in her core.

She watched a mix of satisfaction and desire form on Lauren's face, her eyes opening to meet her own as her tongue worked as a master painter's brush on canvas to bring a climax that found Bo's mind bursting with every color of the rainbow. As she came down from her peak, Lauren's movements slowed, but never ceased. She moved away from the most sensitive spot but continued to taste every inch of skin between Bo's legs.

"You felt… amazing." Bo smiled, caressing the blonde's cheek.

"Mmmm… I don't want to stop. You taste incredible." Lauren smiled before returning to the source of her own pleasure.

"Better than chocolate covered strawberries?" Bo giggled.

Lauren's eyes went wide, "I almost forgot!"

She reached outside of Bo's thigh and picked up a strawberry. Placing it between her teeth, she returned to her comfy spot between her lover's legs and pressed the tip of the sweet berry between Bo's wet, swollen lips.

"Mmmm… Lauren."

The blonde gave a muffled, laugh as she continued to arouse the brunette once more, using the berry in the most delicious ways until suddenly stopping. She propped herself up on her elbows, one hand propping up her head while the other, examined the glistening berry,

"Not quite ready." She said, before pressing the chocolate tip between Bo's folds once again, moving it up and down as she watched Bo's hips respond to her teasing.

"Please, Lauren…"

"Please Lauren what, Sweetie?" The blonde stopped again, pulling the berry from Bo's heat and holding it to her lips, "I just need a little snack."

Bo watched as the blonde took the strawberry into her mouth and moaned with pleasure. Lauren smirked at her General, enjoying the way her open mouth suddenly watered at the sight, her tongue running over her lips. The blonde reached for another berry, hinting at resuming her previous activity, but instead, planted one foot on the floor and slid the berry through her own heat several times before lifting it to Bo's mouth, then pulling it back when she went to take a bite.

"You are such a tease." Bo chuckled.

"Mmmm… do you want a taste?"

"Desperately." Bo replied, surging forward to take the berry into her mouth, while pushing Lauren back onto the fur rug, "I'm so hungry for you."

The brunette's mouth found Lauren's in a swirl of flavors that pushed both women's desires to the breaking point. Hands moved with desperation, never finding a way to touch everywhere they wanted,

"I wish I had more hands." Lauren said.

"I have a body, two hands and a mouth and I intend to use them all everywhere I possibly can. I want to feast on you, Lauren. We've waited so long, and we've both been so patient, but right now…"

"It's okay, Bo… you don't have to wait anymore. Take what you want. I'm yours."

The brunette didn't waste another moment, but slid down the blonde's body, her mouth stopping briefly at each breast, but leaving only her hands behind to enjoy the soft mounds of flesh while her mouth completed the journey to Lauren's glistening core.

The blonde could only watch her ravenous partner devour her, unsure of how she was making her feel the things she was feeling. She could only grip the hands that massaged her breasts, while her hips moved of their own accord, rapidly bringing her to a powerful climax, then another and another before she finally floated back to the floor completely spent.

"I… my God."

"Yes, my Lover?" Bo quipped causing Lauren's limp hand to slap Bo on the shoulder.

"I've never… I mean… never." Lauren was too tired to get the words out.

Bo stopped, pressing herself up onto her hands, "You've never had an orgasm?"

Lauren propped herself up on her elbows, "No… I mean… yes, I've had an orgasm, but never multiples and never even one like all three of those. That was… there are no words for what that was."

Bo grinned, sliding up next to Lauren and noticing the tiny bumps covering the blonde's skin. She reached up onto the chair next to them and pulled the blanket down to cover their bodies.

"So… you enjoyed it?"

Lauren grinned, blushing, "Gods, yes. That was the most incredible experience of my life. I guess it's true what they say."

"Oh? And what is it that they say?" Bo asked, placing a light kiss on Lauren's lips.

Laughing, Lauren replied, "Well, they say a lot of things that fit this occasion. Worth the wait. Sex is never as fulfilling as making love. Making love with someone you love is good but making love with someone you're in love with is amazing."

"They say all that, do they?" Bo asked, tracing the area between Lauren's breasts.

"I don't know if they do, but I sure do, now that I've experienced the difference. How was it for you?"

Bo grinned, blushing, "As I said… I've never made love before, so that was a whole new experience. It was… deeper… I felt… full. And you were not just sexy, you were… loving, yet… erotic."

"Mmmm. I like the sound of that." Lauren replied, "I've never been told I was… well… any of that."

"Wanna try again?" Bo asked.

Lauren grinned, "Definitely."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **The Next Morning…**_

Bo squinted as her eyes slowly opened revealing a bright light. She slammed her eyes shut once again and groaned, rolling over until the familiar morning cramping hit her right hamstring,

"Holy mother of…" She gripped the back of her leg, holding her breath until she released a muffled cry, "Ahhh… Shit, damn, fuck, mother marshmallow fudge pudding!"

The cabin door swung open and Lauren rushed in, bags and coffee tray in hand. She dropped everything on the table and quickly moved to Bo's side, lifting her leg and pressing her foot into a flexed position while pushing her leg straight up towards her head to stretch the hamstring.

"Breathe, Bo. Just breathe." Lauren said, her face covered in worry.

"Fuck breathing, Lauren! This mother fucking hurts and it happens every fucking morning! Fuck!"

Lauren lifted the leg higher, getting more of a stretch before running her fingers and thumb down either side of the large muscle, pressing in deeply to massage the spasm away. Finally, after several minutes, Bo seemed to breathe normally again so Lauren lowered her leg and sat beside her.

"This happens every morning?" Lauren asked.

Bo nodded, wiping tears from her eyes, not wanting to mention that today was the worst… probably because of their activities last night. She had no regrets about being intimate with Lauren and she did not want the blonde to blame herself for the cramps in her legs. She'd do it all over again even if the cramping was going to be even worse. She wouldn't trade last night for… well… anything. She could swear she fell in love with the blonde all over again.

"Bo? Are you okay?"

The brunette gave another nod, wiping her tears, "Sorry for my language. I'm just… frustrated and tired of waking up completely relaxed only to end up writhing in pain the minute I move."

"Did you tell the therapist?" Lauren asked, kicking off her scuffs and pulling off her socks.

"Yea, I guess. Sort of." Bo replied, watching her girlfriend toss her footwear over the back of the couch, "Wow. I've never seen you toss clothing around. You're usually so neat and, speaking of neat, I thought we'd shower together this morning."

Lauren smiled, "Don't change the subject."

Bo cringed, but pushed the pain aside, not wanting to discuss medical issues when Lauren looked so yummy with the glow of sunlight behind her,

"But, Lauren, a shower together is one of my greatest concerns right now. That and seeing you naked again." Bo said, trying to pull Lauren to her, but the blonde pulled back,

"Bo, _you_ are my greatest concern right now. You either told the therapist or you didn't. Which one is it?"

Bo sighed and laid back, holding her breath as the blonde hit a particularly sore spot on her leg, "I might have mentioned that I cramp sometimes. I just didn't want to tell them anything that was going to prevent me from moving forward with physical therapy."

Lauren shook her head, "Is it in the same spot every morning?"

"Yes. Always the right hamstring."

"Bo, it's important that you give them full and accurate feedback on your pain. This may be a symptom that the implant is in the wrong location, which means your progress is insignificant because we're working on the wrong nerve channel, Sweetie. We'll have to move the implant and once we do…"

"No more surgery, Lauren." Bo interrupted, her remark emphatic.

The blonde sighed, "It would be a very quick procedure, Bo. They would go in through the same incision and just relocate the implant."

"No."

Lauren took Bo's hand, her head tilted down as she spoke, "You're upset about your lack of progress, right?"

"No surgery."

"Bo."

"Okay, yes."

"And you want to be pain free?"

"Of course I do, but…"

"And you want to be eligible to fly jets again, right?"

Bo was silent, but the sadness in her eyes told Lauren that she really missed flying. Bo hadn't spoken to her about it, which didn't really surprise Lauren, but she had told Tamsin who had passed it on to Kenzi who had in turn told her.

"I know you don't want surgery, Bo but I do know you probably want to fly jets more than you don't want surgery."

"You aren't exactly a fan of me getting back into the cockpit." Bo remarked.

"That is a long dead issue and you know it. I have worked hard to get through the issues and fears I had about your flying. I fully support you living the life you choose no matter what happens. I would rather have you happy and flying than miserable and grounded. Do you have any more excuses you want to try?"

Bo sighed, "I'm just tired of not being able to walk… of working so hard to get better and having nothing happen. Then I see Flanders at a lunch or dinner and I get it in my head that I have no right to complain… that I need to settle for life like this and be thankful to have what I have."

"But I'm telling you that you don't have to settle for what you have and you are not to blame for what happened to Flanders, Bo. Sarah planted the C4 bundles under the Farmhouse floors and put the remote detonators where the insurgents could find them. We had no way of knowing."

"I trusted her, and people died, Lauren. I trusted her, and Flanders is in a chair for the rest of his days when he should be retired on a beach with his wife able to rest and relax… and she shouldn't have to work harder than she's had to in her entire life to take care of her husband."

Lauren didn't know if Bo would ever forgive herself for what had happened with Sarah, but she was sure that General Flanders would not want her blaming herself,

"Bo, General Flanders had ensured you that Sarah was on the up and up. Admiral Hanes was his best friend. Do you really think that Carl isn't blaming himself every single day for trusting Hanes when he was one of the primary masterminds behind the entire mess? Do you honestly think he doesn't think he's the reason behind every death because he blindly trusted his old friend? Neither of you is to blame, Bo. Hanes and his goons are the ones who caused every death and every injury. It was the job of the court to determine blame. They did and now they're all locked up because it was their faults." Lauren asked.

"It was my job to look at everyone as a suspect. I should have…"

Lauren stood, hands in hair, her face filled with fury and frustration as she turned to Bo, "You have got to stop blaming yourself, Bo! You… we… will never move forward if you don't! You'll be stuck here like this every day for the rest of your life and I cannot – will not – watch you do this to yourself! You are a soldier, Bo and soldiers die!"

"I didn't!" Bo screamed, looking up at Lauren with tears in her eyes, "It should have been me!"

Lauren shook her head, "Great! So now you have a death wish? Well, I'm sorry if it sounds selfish, but I'm glad you're alive! Heaven knows you sure tried hard enough to get dead!"

"I failed them." Bo whispered, looking at her hands.

"What about Walker, Specter and Stevie? What about Manes, Bit and Byte? What about Doc, Hale, Kenzi, Tamsin, Martin… what about me? We're all alive because you made the right choices, Bo. Any others and one of us might be gone. Everyone else knows it except you! Bo, you are a legend in the eyes of your subordinates and your students! If it was your fault, your reputation would be shit by now! If they saw you like this right now… saw you giving up and wallowing in self-pity, do you really think they'd respect you like they do?"

"I am not wallowing in self-pity! How can you say that?"

"It's not easy! I love you, Bo but you have got to let this go. Everyone else has moved on with their lives and are doing so with the hand they were dealt! One deaf in one ear, one on a fake leg, one with spinal fusion and yes, one in a chair, but everyone is moving on Bo! Everyone except you which means I can't move on either! Just when I start to move forward and forget the fear and horror those months created in me, you start this blame game all over again and pull me right back into it! I won't do it anymore, Bo! I can't and I won't. If you want to live the rest of your life in agony as some sort of punishment for something that wasn't your fault, then you do it… but you do it alone. I am not going to live my life with a quitter."

"I am not a quitter!" Bo said, attempting to hold the blanket up to cover herself as she jumped to her feet, but her leg spasmed and she fell over, landing hard on the floor. She quickly tried to cover her bare ass, feeling like an idiot as embarrassment rushed through her. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck my life! I fucking hate my fucking leg! Dammit!" She screamed as she tried to roll over, wrapping the blanket around herself, but her leg betrayed her, spasming again. She bit down hard on the blanket wrapped around her hand, willing it to pass. When it finally did, she belly crawled to the chair and sat up, taking a few breaths before she tried to stand again.

It took every ounce of strength Lauren possessed not to run to the General and help her up. Instead, Lauren balled her hands into fists, widened her stance and stood her ground, holding her breath as she watched Bo push herself up, gripping the chair to move to her feet. She turned on Lauren, her eyes dark, her face covered in rage,

"I. Am. NOT. A quitter. How dare you!"

Lauren took a deep breath, "That's better."

"What?" Bo asked, confused.

"If you're not a quitter, then you'll agree to the surgery. If the implant is in the wrong place, that is almost definitely the reason your improvement has peaked, so you still have work to do and one last surgery will allow you to do that work. If you're really not a quitter, you'll agree to the surgery and get back to work."

"I'm not a quitter." Bo said, although Lauren was unsure of who the brunette was talking to.

"Then you'll have the surgery." Lauren said with as much determination as she could muster.

"I'm not going backwards, Lauren. I can't. I can't." She shook her head.

"You won't."

"Surgery always makes me weaker. I know. I've had seven since I was released from that Canadian hospital."

"But those surgeries were each to move the implant along the nerve pathway or add another sensor that would add a link to the main implant for enhanced communication among all the sensors."

"And I got weaker."

Lauren shook her head, "Your muscles weren't weaker, Bo. You just lacked the electrical stimulus to carry the impulse along the newly added pathways. It just takes a few days for the sensors to begin sharing messages consistently. They need time to learn and the software must be adjusted. Therapy allows them to connect when your brain starts teaching them how you walk."

"I would be out of work for weeks, Lauren. They could replace me in the new training program. I could end up riding a desk in Washington… or worse."

"First, General Walker would never allow that to happen. Second, what you're saying about the surgery is not true, Bo. The main implant connects to the main nerve. I think it's either on or near a pain receptor. It's truly a simple fix, Bo. One, maybe two days at most. We can do it over a weekend."

"How can you be sure?" Bo asked.

Lauren sighed, walking to the brunette and helping her off of her feet again. She hated that her girlfriend was going through this, but she knew that in addition to the right frame of mind, Bo's progress was dependent on the stim implants being in the correct location, particularly the primary implant,

"Bo, do you remember when we explained that the primary implant was going to communicate with the others via sensors that would stimulate the nerve that needed regeneration?"

"Yes." She replied, her voice clearly indicating that she was upset again.

"Well, if the implant is stimulating the wrong nerve… that is, overstimulating the wrong nerve or a pain receptor of an undamaged, active nerve – it would explain the cramping. We're actually irritating a healthy nerve by making it do more than it needs to do. Move the implant and we stop the cramping. More importantly, move the implant and we stimulate the correct nerve, causing the weak nerve to begin moving the muscles that are not doing their part to help you walk. You have improved, which tells me that most of the implants are in the correct position."

Bo rolled over, her sad face suddenly filled with hope, "You mean I could stop cramping and be normal again? I could go for morning runs with you again like we did back at the Farmhouse?"

Lauren smiled, leaning down to place a kiss on her lover's lips, "Yes to both. It's a short procedure, Bo and if you wake up without any cramping, we'll know right away that we found the correct placement. No starting from scratch again, just pure improvement from this point forward."

Bo nodded, "Okay."

"Okay as in you'll do the surgery?"

"Okay."

Lauren allowed her eyes to travel over Bo's face for a long moment. The look of defeat stripped Bo of all dignity and pride. She hated the things she'd said to bring out the soldier in her girlfriend, but over the past year, she'd learned that sometimes the best Bo was the Bo who was a pilot faced with a mission.

"Bo, I'm sorry for the things I said."

Bo shrugged, "You weren't very nice. As a matter of fact, you were pretty harsh. I may feel bad about what happened to Flanders and yes, I feel the weight of the guilt for failing to catch on to the bomb that put him in that chair, but I'm not a quitter and I've never wallowed."

Lauren nodded, knowing those were the two things that would have registered the most with Bo out of everything she'd said,

"I know and I'm sorry, but sometimes you have to be reminded, Bo."

"You don't have to be mean to remind me, Lauren." Bo retorted.

"I'm sorry, Bo. I truly am. I just didn't know how to get you to see what I saw."

Bo looked up at Lauren, her eyes filled with tears, "What did you see? A failure? A weakling who couldn't take a little bit of pain?"

"I saw the woman I love. I think you were the one seeing a failure and a weakling – and for the record, your pain level is well over the classification of a 'little bit'."

"I just… I don't know how to reconcile the soldier with… this." Bo said, pointing to her leg, the tears finally released.

Lauren smiled, wiping the tears from Bo's cheek, "After the surgery, you may find that the soldier is intact." She smiled, "You know, seeing you like this kind of breaks my heart."

"Waking up and not having you next to me kind of broke my heart too." Bo replied, her hand running up and down Lauren's forearm.

"I'm sorry. I went for an early run, came back and you were still asleep. I know sleep hasn't come easy for you lately, so I took a shower and then headed over to the Inn to pick up breakfast. I hope you don't mind that I borrowed your sweats. I didn't bring anything to lounge in."

Bo nodded her reply as Lauren stood and moved quickly to the coffee table before coming back with the goodies she's purchased. Bo sat up, curious about what was in the bag,

"What did you find?"

"Well, you are well aware of my addiction to cinnamon." Lauren smiled as she opened the bag.

"And chocolate covered strawberries dipped in me." Bo winked.

"Mmmm… they're my favorite." Lauren smiled, squeezing her legs together at the thought of enjoying many, many of Bo's strawberries last night.

"Cinnamon buns!" Bo smiled as Lauren pulled one out and placed it on a paper plate for her, "Oooh, they're still warm!"

"And coffee, black, two sugars." Lauren said, handing Bo the cup.

"Perfect." Bo said, "This is so much better than the powdered eggs they serve on base."

"Well, hopefully your mornings won't always begin with a base breakfast." Lauren smiled, taking a bite of her pastry, "Mmmm… this is amazing."

"It totally is." Bo said, taking another bite before taking a sip of her coffee, "So, should we make the appointment for my surgery?"

Lauren licked her fingers and took a sip of her coffee before replying, "Sure. Aren't you supposed to be in meetings all week, though?"

Bo took another bite, "Mm shuposthed thoo report thoo…" she swallowed, "I'm supposed to report to the new facility next week. This week is meetings with my Naval Counterpart to determine procedure and curriculum, but so far, we've both agreed that we're going to take the best of both of our worlds and use that to build our program."

"You don't have a counterpart, Bo. You're in charge of the entire program. Why would you call someone your counterpart let alone let them make choices that will reflect on you?"

"Because I'm the Queen of diplomacy. I'm going to give her a shot at putting her special touches on the program."

" _She_ has special touches?"

Bo laughed, "Do I detect a hint of jealousy?"

Lauren pulled the cup from Bo's hand and rolled her over onto her back, coming to rest on top of her, "Only when you talk about another woman using her special touch on something that belongs to my girlfriend. I would think that after last night, we've sort of raised our level of commitment."

Bo smiled, "Oh? And how far would you say that level of commitment goes?"

Lauren paused, her smile morphing into a bit of a frown. She had hoped that after over two years of dancing around their relationship that Bo would have moved to thoughts of something more serious for them. She was well aware that when Bo was in the hospital, she had been the one to pull away and send mixed messages about what she wanted, but she felt she'd been clear in the last six months or so.

Bo chuckled, "Lauren, I'm kidding."

The blonde remained fixated on the icing atop her cinnamon bun, taking small bits with her finger into her mouth while her other hand fidgeted with her coffee cup.

"Hey." Bo said, taking the plate from Lauren and putting the coffee cup on the end table above her, "Look at me, Sweetie."

Lauren turned and looked at Bo who gave her a sad smile, "Lauren, you have got to know I'm kidding. My love for you has not waivered for even a minute since we met, so if you must know, my level of commitment is way up here."

Bo motioned over her head as she spoke before reaching behind her and pulling open the end table drawer, retrieving a set of wings that appeared to be from her uniform jacket,

"You know, the day I earned these wings was the proudest day of my life. My Dad had told me that joining the Air Force was the biggest commitment I would ever make. He told me the day he got his wings, he realized that he would have to be wherever they told him to be at a moments' notice no matter what. Even my Mom understood that meant that she would always take a back seat to these wings, but he said there would be times when the military would understand that his family should come first. In those cases, they would make every effort to see that family, indeed, did come first, but there were no promises."

Bo sighed, twirling the wings in her fingers, "So my Dad missed most of the special occasions in my life - and Kenzi's life, for that matter. Hell, my Dad even missed my birth. He did happen to be home for Kenzi's. Mom said he cried for hours while he held her with me by his side."

She reached up onto the chair and into her pants pocket, pulling out her wallet. She opened it and carefully pulled a very old photo from the back, handing it to Lauren,

"That's me and my Dad holding Kenzi the day they brought her home from the hospital."

Lauren looked at the picture, smiling, "You look so happy… all of you. Even Kenzi's smiling."

Bo nodded, taking the picture back and placing it carefully in her wallet, "She was a very happy baby and toddler. She was happy and energetic and excited about even the smallest things until… well, until Dad was killed. Everything changed after that. It was like someone threw a switch and we became all about following in his footsteps and fighting for justice – his justice, especially. We grew up fast and we went to work, fully focused on being soldiers like Dad despite my Mom's fears and protests. I guess we lost a big chunk of our childhood – especially Kenzi."

Lauren nodded, "I know the feeling. Entering college as a young teenager, I never really got to do the things that most teenagers due through high school, so things they talked about… experiences they had… I couldn't really relate to."

They sat there in silence for a long moment, each of them contemplating their pasts before Bo spoke again,

"Well, I guess the big question for you is whether or not you will be okay with playing second fiddle to the military when they decide I have to put them first. It's not an easy life, Lauren and I don't want you to be unhappy if I'm away every other night. I have no idea what my schedule will be and…"

"Bo, I'm all in. Really. I know military life, remember? I understand and you have to remember that for years, I've been married to my work. There might be times where you will have to remind me to come home from the lab or office and tend to my duties as a girlfriend."

Bo smiled, flipping over the wings and opening the clasp to pull off a small diamond ring. She held it up to Lauren whose hands moved to her mouth, her eyes wide and brimming with tears,

"I've had this ring for a little over three months, but our jobs kept getting in the way of us having any time together. So, I pinned it behind my wings, carrying it with me everywhere I went with the promise that at the first opportunity, I would sweep you away, even if it was only for a last-minute two-day weekend so that we would have this moment together… and now, here we are. I'd love to get down on one knee for this, but we both know it would probably result in me falling right on my face, so…"

Bo turned to face Lauren fully, "… sitting here, face to face, I'm asking for a lifetime commitment, Doctor Lauren Sketch Lewis. Will you live this life with me, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others with no option for divorce? Will you put up with me until we're old, gray and retired to sitting in rocking chairs on a beach near an airstrip where we can watch jets take off at night?"

Lauren laughed as tears fell from her eyes, "General Ysabeau Bo Stick Dennis, I would love nothing more than to marry you with no opportunity for parole from this crazy life we'll be living together. I'll be here for you, Bo as I know you will be for me, no matter what comes our way. I do prefer that the jets not fly directly over our house, though. I've already experienced the shudder of plates, windows and pictures falling from the walls as a kid and it was no fun."

Bo smiled, "I love you, Lauren."

"I love you, Bo." She replied, watching as Bo slipped the ring onto her finger, a thought coming to mind, "You know, General… I know most of the military code, but I'm unfamiliar with rules about rings for soldiers."

Bo grinned, "They're not recommended for combat since the enemy could use family to manipulate your decision making, but my job will allow it from now on. When I'm not racing jet jocks in training space, I'll be riding a desk or watching drills. A band will be fine… preferably one of those silicone ones they advise for safety these days."

Lauren nodded, a bit disappointed, but accepted that this would be her life now. She'd reminded herself many times over many months that if she and Bo were to make this very commitment, that as a military wife she would have to make some sacrifices.

"Lauren? Are you okay?"

She chuckled as she replied, "It's funny, you know."

"What is?" Bo asked.

"For most of my adult life I never saw myself saying yes to a proposal of marriage if it ever became legal. Now, here I am hoping we don't wait too long. I never saw myself as a ring kind of person. Now, here I am admittedly a little disappointed that you will have to take your ring off on occasion. I don't know why I thought of it, but for some reason, you wearing the ring is important to me. Isn't that silly?" Lauren asked, her eyes welling with tears as she spoke.

"Lauren, it's important to me too." Bo said, thumbing the newly placed ring on the blonde's hand, "I promise you that it will stay on my hand unless I'm absolutely forced to take it off… and if I do have to take it off, I'll attach it to something on my person. If I do end up in combat for some highly unlikely reason, I will leave the ring in your care so you can put it back on my finger when I return home. Please don't be upset, Lauren."

The blonde gave Bo a weak smile, "I'm sorry, Bo. I don't know why this ring thing is such an issue for me. It's silly, really."

"No, it's not silly. It's what you feel and your feelings will always matter to me."

Bo leaned down and kissed Lauren's hand, absentmindedly thumbing the ring on the blonde's hand again.

"The ring is beautiful, Bo. Thank you so much."

Grinning, she admitted, "Thank Martin. He helped me pick it out."

"Martin?"

Bo nodded, "Can you believe he kept the secret? He did keep the secret, didn't he?"

"Completely. I had no idea." Lauren admitted, "So many times in the past months I wasn't sure we'd be here, but look at us now. I'm so happy to be with you, Bo."

"Together, we can make it through anything, Lauren. I truly believe that." Bo replied, taking Lauren's hand.

"Together." Lauren replied, giving Bo's hand a squeeze.

"So, did you bring anything else for breakfast?" Bo asked, giving Lauren a wink.

Lauren quickly released Bo's hand and reached for the bag, opening it once more, "I'm glad you asked! I have one more thing I bought for our breakfast dessert."

"Breakfast has a dessert?" Bo asked with a grin.

Lauren nodded, "Not usually, but it's a special occasion. My girlfriend asked me to marry her, so I think this occasion is deserving of dessert."

"Smart girl, your girlfriend." Bo smiled.

"She's my fiancé now." Lauren corrected, waving her ring at Bo, "See? She put a ring on it."

"She's got good taste."

"In women or jewelry?" Lauren asked.

Bo laughed, "Women… one woman for sure."

"Good answer, General."

"I'm learning how to keep my foot out of my mouth. It's taking a while, but I'm getting there." Bo smiled.

Lauren peeked into the bag, "You're going to love this."

"Mmmm, yum. What is it?" Bo asked, trying to peek in the bag, but Lauren tugged it away.

"Only if you're good." Lauren teased.

"Baby, I'll be so good. I promise."

"Really good?" Lauren asked, her eyes growing dark.

Bo licked her lips, "Last night will have nothing on what this morning will bring."

Lauren gave her a wicked grin, pulling out a plastic container and passing it to the brunette. Opening it, Bo saw whipped cream. Her mouth watered, "Oh, my…"

The blonde pulled out another container and popped the lid, revealing fresh strawberries. Bo took a finger of whipped cream and held it up to Lauren's mouth. The blonde parted her lips, taking the finger into her mouth. Bo let out a quiet moan at the sensation of her lover sucking on her finger,

"So good." Bo said, unraveling the blanket covering her and flipping it back to reveal most of her naked form before laying down on her side, propped up on one elbow. She took a berry from the container and dipped it into the whipped cream, "Baby, you're overdressed."

Running the tip of the berry over one nipple, then the other, Lauren saw the soft peak of white left behind on each breast and couldn't help but lean in to suck them clean, her mouth reluctant to release the taut skin beneath the cream of the second breast. She pushed Bo onto her back, before taking a moment to sit up and pull the Air Force sweatshirt from her upper body. She then stood over Bo to remove her sweatpants, giving her lover full view of everything she wanted.

Bo's eyes roamed over the blonde's body, "Naughty, naughty girl. Going out in public with no panties or bra on, huh?"

"I had to save them just in case we went out for dinner tonight. I packed a very limited wardrobe for the weekend." Lauren admitted, taking a finger of whipped cream from the container and placing it in her mouth.

"Limited, huh?" Bo said, her mouth open as she watched Lauren suck her fingers clean.

"Very limited." Lauren replied as Bo's hands roamed up and down her long, lean, toned legs.

"So all of my fears over whether or not this was the weekend you would say yes to taking our relationship to a more intimate level were for nothing?" Bo asked.

"I wasn't taking no for an answer this weekend, Bo. I was done waiting and I knew you were too. You've been so patient with me and there was no way I was going to make you wait any longer. I wanted you. I wanted a life with you and I was done waiting to start what I knew was meant to be."

Lauren took the container and sunk three fingers into the soft, white cream before reaching down and running them between her thighs. Seeing that there was still some sweet topping left on her fingers, she lowered herself to Bo dipping her fingers into her mouth so she could savor the whipped treat. Bo's eyes never left the cream topping that covered her lovers center and when she'd licked Lauren's fingers clean, she uttered one word…

"Mine."

…before pulling Lauren down to her, taking all the blonde offered. Her hands palmed the firm breasts, thumbs working the hardened peaks while her mouth hit its mark again, bringing Lauren to climax multiple times. Bo then flipped them over joining their lips, tongues dueling for dominance while their centers met, thrusting with need until they cried out their pleasure. Their eyes locked through the shared moment until Bo collapsed on her lovers' chest. Their arms tightly wrapped around each other, neither willing to let the other go until Lauren slipped one hand down between them, finding Bo's core dripping with need.

Lauren lifted her eyes to meet those of the woman she loved with all of her heart, plunging her fingers into her center, until she filled her. She followed Bo's lead, her hips and voice telling Lauren all she needed to know to satisfy the burning need of her lover until she screamed out Lauren's name in a long desperate voice, her hands gripping the blonde's skin as if begging her not to stop and so she didn't. Lauren gave Bo all she needed as many times as she needed until she was finally spent beneath her. Then, curling her body around Bo's and pulling the blanket over them once again, she finally spoke,

"I love you, my Ysabeau."

"You are my heart, Lauren. I love you."

In that moment, each wondered how it was possible that they could feel even closer than they had the night before. They whispered to each other about their hopes for their life together until they fell into slumber.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_


	11. Chapter 11: Honor

_**A/N 1:**_ _Okay – so first, the question about two marriage proposals. I had written both chapters a while back, unsure of who I wanted to have initiate the proposal. As I had mentioned, time and life made the chapters difficult to proofread which resulted in both proposals remaining in the posted chapters! So – decide for yourself which one you like better, store that one in your mind as what really happened and consider it interactive reading! Naturally, if I revamp this into a published story, I'll fix it, but for now, I trust that for a free read, you'll all accept the mistake as just that and move on to this, the final chapter._

 _Before I end this, I just want to say another thank you to everyone for taking this ride with me! I hope you have enjoyed Honor! Again, I hope I did the military storyline justice with what little time I had to research. Sorry for any glaring absurdities! No offense intended (especially you, KZ!). Time jumps coming with this conclusion… tying up some loose ends for various characters and for BoLo's personal and professional lives before sending them off to what I hope is a fitting (if not a bit corny and/or lame) ending._

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Chapter 11: Honor**_

 _ **Back porch of the Gameskeeper Cottage, Early Afternoon, The Next Day…**_

"Kenzi?"

" _Bobo? Well?"_

"She said yes!"

" _YEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHH!"_

Bo stretched her arm to keep the phone at a distance as she and Lauren cringed at the volume of Kenzi's joyous scream.

"Kenzi, you're on speaker and you almost broke our eardrums!"

" _Right… sorry – but not really! Hotpants is there?"_

"I'm here, Kenzi." Lauren replied with a smile, shaking her head at Bo.

" _Good choice, Doc!"_

Nodding, Lauren replied, "Thanks, Kenzi. We're both very happy."

" _So am I… I mean, I'm happy for you guys and I'm happy for me! I have an excuse to buy a dress! I mean… I do have to buy a dress, right? You're not doing some shotgun wedding at some chapel in Vegas?"_

Bo and Lauren laughed as the brunette replied, "Yes, you need to buy a dress, Kenz."

" _Yes! What color?"_

"Lauren wants me to wear my dress blues. She thinks I look sexy in my uniform." Bo said, winking at her fiancé.

" _Of course, she does. Only civilians like our military monkey suits."_

"You like me in my uniform too, Kenz." Bo corrected.

" _I know, but that's only because I don't have to wear one anymore. So did you set a date?"_

"Thanksgiving." Bo replied.

" _What? That's like about three weeks away!"_

"Not this year, Nob! Next year!"

" _Oh, thank God. You almost gave me a heart-a-stroke!"_

"That's not actually a thing, Kenzi." Lauren explained.

" _It is to me. Anyway, are you doing the whole formal wedding thing or what?"_

Lauren gave Bo a nod before the older Dennis sister replied, "We're waiting for you to plan out the details, but this is going to be wedding lite, more of a celebration than a wedding. Just family and a few of our closest military friends. We figured if we did it on Thanksgiving a year from now, the boys might just be able to take leave for the holiday. Got any strings you can pull?"

" _Consider it done when the time comes, but I would think as a superstar General, you would have more pull than I do."_

"Kind of tacky for me to bring the guys home for my own wedding, dontcha think?"

" _Ask the big guy. He'll know."_

"Yea, I guess so. Well, we don't want to hold you up. Just wanted to share the good news. Will you tell Hale?"

" _Yup. I'm seeing him for dinner tonight, so I'll let him know."_

"Great. See you soon, little sis."

" _Later BoBo! Later Hotpants."_

"Love ya, Kenz." Bo replied.

"See you soon, Kenz." Lauren added.

Bo leaned back in her seat, picking up the hot chocolate Lauren had made for her and smiled, "That takes care of the wedding planning. Anything else you don't want to have to deal with?"

Lauren looked at Bo, "That's it? You really think she'll take care of everything?"

Bo smiled, "My little sister is a unique blend of badass and fashionista, so yes, consider our wedding planned. Of course, she will want to take us each out to pick out our ideal dress…"

"But Bo…"

"I know, Lauren. No dress, but you'll have to wear something." Bo smiled, "I mean, I'd prefer you naked, but I don't think our guests would be too happy about that."

"I'm not much for public nudity, so I'll definitely be up for wearing something. I just really want things to be simple."

Bo nodded, "Me too, Babe. We just have to give Kenzi the mission parameters."

"Mission parameters?" Lauren asked.

"Yea, like… I don't know… how about the number of people we want at the wedding?"

"I want us to make the guest list." Lauren replied.

"So much for doing simple."

Lauren slapped Bo's arm, "One of my college friends told her Mom she could do the guest list as long as she limited it to 100 people. Three weeks later, the invitations went out to 300 people. Once she invited an aunt, she had to invite her partner and kids. If she invited one cousin, she had to invite them all. Then there were the neighbors who helped raise her and her childhood best friend and the list just kept growing and growing and…"

Bo steadied Lauren's waving hand, "Okay, okay. I get it. We'll make the guest list. Anything else we have to do?"

"What else is there?"

"I've never planned a wedding, so I have no clue. What do we need?"

Lauren pulled out her phone, opening a note, "Let's brainstorm and see what really has to be done for our bare minimum ceremony. If we make a list, we'll know if there's any items we want to take care of ourselves."

Bo laughed, loving how much her fiancé loved to make lists, "Okay, so what's first?"

"Rings." Lauren replied, "Nothing flashy and nothing metal that could rip our fingers off in the performance of our respective jobs."

"Agreed." Bo replied, "Admiral Burke is qualified to marry us. Would that work for you?"

Lauren smiled, "That would be very special for you."

"But I want it to be special for you, too." Bo insisted.

"Bo, the man saved your life how many times? You're alive because of him. That's plenty special for me."

"Okay. Clothes are a must."

Lauren grinned, "Sadly true. And a place."

The two looked at each other for a long while before Lauren laughed, "The hangar on base where we had our first argument over the pre-flight check?"

Bo laughed, "That would be hysterical. The end of the runway where we laid in the grass waiting for Hale and Kenzi to land."

It was Lauren's turn to laugh, "We get the patch of grass, everyone else has to stand in the parking lot and we use megaphones to say our vows for when jets fly over our heads or land right next to the ceremony."

Bo nodded, a wide grin on her face, "That was the spot of our first great talk. How about in the back of a cargo plane while airborne?"

Lauren frowned, "You do remember the only time we've flown in a cargo plane, half of your guts were spilling out of your abdomen?"

"Right. Scratch the cargo plane idea." Bo replied, "Sorry."

Lauren nodded, the pair returning to silent contemplation for a long while before they both turned to each other,

"I've got it!" They said in unison.

"You first." They said in unison again.

"No, you go."

"No, you."

"Bo, tell me what you're thinking." Lauren asked.

"Well, you may not like this because we did sort of struggle at first… well, fight like hell, actually… but we found each other there and…"

"Under the tree at Evony's farmhouse. I was thinking the exact same place." Lauren replied with a smile, interlocking her fingers with Bo's.

"She's rebuilding it with original barn wood from the property. I saw Ryan two weeks ago and he showed me some pictures on his phone. She's using a steel foundation this time around."

"Not taking any chances, huh?" Lauren asked.

Bo laughed, "Ryan said that now that our team her a friend – which she doesn't necessarily agree with since she apparently 'does not do friendships' - she's worried we'll all be hanging out there all the time and bring trouble to her doorstep. She wants to be prepared."

"So she's using a steel foundation beneath her natural barn wood? She does realize that our incident involved C4 and grenades, right? Steel isn't indestructible." Lauren cautioned.

Bo smiled, raising her hot chocolate to the blonde, "I guess she hired the wrong architect. She should have hired you instead."

Lauren shook her head, laughing, "So we're getting married and you think I'm an architect?"

Bo shrugged, "Architect, engineer… they both build things. You just build them best."

Grinning, Lauren shook her head, "Well, I'm flattered, but the two fields are actually quite different despite having a symbiotic relationship on a job site. Regardless, we really should ask her if we could get married beneath the tree – just the wedding ceremony. After that, we can go anywhere we want. I'm sure Martin can drum up some planes to fly everyone to the after party."

"They call it a reception, Dear." Bo grinned, shifting her legs so they stretched out across Lauren's lap.

Lauren scowled, "Are you stiff again?"

Bo shrugged, "A little."

The blonde set to work on Bo's leg, her thumbs immediately finding the perfect line along the muscle to give Bo some relief. She laughed, when Bo's head dropped back, a big moan coming from her mouth,

"That's almost as good as sex."

Lauren laughed, "Then we're doing it wrong."

"I disagree. We do it very, very right." Bo winked, giving her fiancé a mischievous smile.

"No. My pubococcygeus desperately needs a rest… for at least three hours." Lauren grinned.

Bo shrugged, "I'm not sure what a public geezus is, but I'm going to work on building up your endurance. So where do you want to have the reception?"

Lauren shook her head, laughing at the brunette's comment before offering a potential answer to her question, "Maybe the Admiral will pull the ship up to the nearby port and let us party the night away on your old carrier." Lauren suggested with a grin.

Bo was slow to respond, unsure of why the blonde was choosing the locations she was. She approached the topic as delicately as possible,

"So, on a Carrier is your first choice and Farmhouse tree is the second choice? Are you sure you don't want to do this on a romantic island or something? I mean – my whole life has been about the military, but yours was mostly about avoiding it until now. Why would you want to spend the most important day of our lives on a Carrier? And don't say because a Carrier means a lot to me. This isn't about me – it's about us… both of us."

Lauren smiled, "This 'thing' as you call it…"

"…I meant… Our very special day… our most specialist of days." Bo corrected leading Lauren to smile as she continued,

"I just think it would really be cool to do the whole thing on the Carrier, wouldn't it? Admiral Burke can do the ceremony. Isn't that a thing with Admirals on ships?"

Bo nodded, "He can and it is, but I don't think you're seeing my question, Babe. Are you sure you would enjoy a Military wedding and reception?"

Lauren grinned, "I do see your question, Bo, but you're not getting my point. Carriers and jets are our world, so it makes a perfect setting for our wedding."

Bo began to interrupt, but Lauren put a finger to her lips, "Bo, this really is what I want. The military is our world. It's what brought us together, it's what kept us together, it's what finally brought closure to your family and… well… I know that a lot of… bad things have happened to you on that carrier, but this is our chance… my chance… to replace those memories with a very special, positive memory that both of us will think of every time we step foot on a carrier. We have the chance to take the bad and turn it into something good… something better."

Bo smiled, her eyes brimming with tears. Lauren smiled through her own blurry vision, and wiped away a single droplet that escaped down her fiancé's cheek as she spoke softly,

"I love you even more for showing concern for my feelings about having a military wedding, Bo. I love you even more for caring enough to be sure that this wedding is about both of us, but I want this… I really do."

Lauren sniffed, wiping a tear from beneath her eye as she sat up, patting her thighs as she took a deep breath and continued explaining her vision for their wedding,

"As for scenery, we can pull up to any beach we choose… within reason… reason being that we need a dock big enough for an Aircraft Carrier… I mean… the waterline which is the line on the hull that designates how the boat sits in the water and the draft, which is the depth of water that your boat needs… and why am I explaining this to you since you already know…"

Bo's smile was bright as she stroked Lauren's cheek, "Have I mentioned how much I totally love it when your thoughts wander and you totally geek out?"

Lauren blushed, "Several times as my geek outs tend to happen quite frequently when I'm excited about something."

"You're excited about marrying me?" Bo asked, her heart filling with joy at the mere thought of this woman being elated about a life with her.

"More than excited." Lauren smiled before returning to her plans for the carrier, "As I was saying, about our carrier wedding…" she closed her eyes imagining the day, "… looking into your eyes as we make our promise to each other while the gentle breeze carries fresh sea air swirling around us. There's a beautiful sunset filled with purple, pink, yellow and orange hues just like the first night we sat at the end of the runway getting to know each other. The colors are quickly followed by starry skies when the sun goes down with soft music playing in the background before the party gets started and the music is cranked to eleven."

"So you had our wedding all planned out, huh?" Bo grinned, happy to see Lauren's delight with her vision.

"Not at all. It's just that… sitting here with you and envisioning the night… it just sort of came to me. It's the perfect setting for us, don't you think? Plus, the biggest perk is that the Carrier is actually a floating hotel with a massive dance floor that allows us to be surrounded by all of our favorite toys! Also, I'm sure Bit and Byte can find something to create a fun light show at midnight, after which we'll make our graceful exit. Besides, who's to say we can't sail somewhere warm. If we plan now, we might be able to get General Walker to send the Admiral's former ship to a southern coast. What's not to love?"

"Our favorite toys?" Bo asked, not hearing much Lauren said after she'd mentioned them.

Lauren's face was covered with confusion as her hands ceased all movement, "Yes, favorite toys. We both love jets and jets are on an aircraft carrier or have you forgotten? I build 'em, you fly 'em, we both love them?"

Bo's face was covered in disappointment, "Oh. Uh… right. Not the toys I thought you were referring to, but I suppose those are good toys too."

"Damn right they are! I can't wait until you experience the amount of thrust in latest model I've built."

Bo swallowed hard, "Right. I love the thrust in all your rockets."

"Not a rocket, a jet," Lauren continued, oblivious to the sexual inuendos that had peaked her lover's interest, "Of course you realize that I'm referring to the new LeMar Mark II Panther. You were so excited about our newest plane, Bo. Did you change your mind?"

Finally catching on to where the General's thoughts – and eyes - had traveled, she gave her a playful slap, "You are incorrigible, Bo Dennis. And you are also an irresistible, unstoppable sex machine who I hope I can keep up with through our golden years."

Bo grinned, twirling a strand of Lauren's long, silky blonde hair around her finger, "I'm sure you'll always give me a run for my money, my leggy, sexy, luva."

Lauren giggled, enjoying the taste of Bo's lips when she leaned in for a long, deep kiss. The blonde felt the need for this woman she loved with all of her being fill her very soul and she could just sense that Bo felt the same for her. She'd never experienced such a deep connection with anyone, her only regret being that it took so long to find it. When they finally pulled apart for a shared breath, they took their time sliding back into their respective spaces, not wanting the moment to pass too quickly.

"I never knew I could love anyone the way I love you, Lauren. It's amazing."

Smiling, the blonde nodded, interlocking their fingers, "I was just thinking the same thing."

Bo took a deep breath, her gaze traveling out to the scenery surrounding them, "I'm not sure I thanked you for the new jet."

Lauren shrugged, "There's no need to thank me for doing my job, Bo."

Bo shook her head, "You didn't have to name the new model after Mark Thornwood, but you did. That's what I want to thank you for, Lauren. It was a sweet gesture and it means a lot to everyone on the project that you suggested it."

She nodded in reply, "I'd like to build one for every soldier we lost, but I'm afraid that would take decades. So, I'm trying to honor each and every one of them with something we create that is related to their accomplisments. Mark was a great pilot, so the jet seemed fitting."

"Tamsin told me you named the new smart countermeasures are being named after Captain Evans." Bo said, her eyes sad as memories of her fallen brothers were brought front and center in her mind.

Lauren nodded, offering Bo a small smile, "They're like tiny Tiki torches in the sky when they're released at night and since her call sign was Tiki, it seemed the perfect name."

Smiling, Bo agreed, "She had a bright future, so bright lights painted across the night sky are a nice touch." She looked away from Lauren for a moment, staring out across the lawn, lifting her hand to quickly wipe a traitorous tear from her cheek, before she cleared her throat and asked,

"Are you still going to mount the new Bug Missiles on Mark's jet?"

Lauren nodded, recognizing Bo's return to business mode as a way of coping with the loss of life she still struggled to accept,

"As long as Martin and I can figure out the burst timing after launch. It's got to be more intuitive. The pilot should be able to launch the missile without worrying about when the bugs will deploy from the main body to hit their multiple targets. We also have to be sure the GPS coordinators on the bugs work in sync, otherwise, the first hit would give away the pilots position, allowing the other enemy aircraft to return fire. Tamsin has been very helpful with teaching us strategy and timing. You know, it's…" Lauren paused, looking at Bo, "What?"

The General grinned, "Sorry, you're just geeking out over your planes again and... well, like I said… you're adorable."

"I am." Lauren replied with a straight face, before bursting into laughter.

"Back to the wedding plans?" Bo asked.

Lauren nodded, before summarizing the current list, "So safety rings, Admiral Burke, Kenzi clothes, Carrier or Farmhouse wedding and reception, but Carrier seems like the best option for ambiance. Lights, dance floor area, music, fireworks…"

"All details which Kenzi will arrange." Bo interjected.

"Definitely. And we make the guest list. Anything else?" Lauren asked.

"We'll have to say vows or something." Bo replied.

"I prefer to call them… I don't know… anything but vows? It sounds so… sterile."

Bo smiled, "But you love sterile."

"Not when we're supposed to be speaking from the heart." Lauren replied.

Bo nodded, "I agree. Vows sounds too much like oaths which is very military. I want something to be just about us and how we feel." The brunette said, considering a few options before asking, "Earlier, you mentioned making promises to each other. Why not call them promises… promises not made to be broken."

"That could work." Lauren replied, adding it to the list, "You said something last night about not having the option for divorce. Did you mean that?"

Bo nodded, "I did, Lauren. I'm not sure how you feel about it but my Mom and Dad added it to their marriage contract. My Mom told me that they both agreed that they were ready to be married because they accepted the other person as they were. They also agreed that life is a journey and that experiences will trigger thoughts which will trigger change. So, if they were going to marry, they needed to agree that no matter how they changed, they would also be agreeing to accept those changes as the years went by. If they did that, there would be no reason for divorce. It was a partnership and it was a lifetime commitment to that partnership."

Lauren nodded, "Your parents must have been amazing. I wish I had been able to meet them."

Bo smiled, "Me too."

"Till death do we part it is, then." Lauren smiled, leaning over to kiss the brunette. She smiled, her hand moving to cup Bo's cheek as they shared a quiet moment before the blonde asked, "Anything else?"

"Food!" Bo suddenly remembered.

"How did either of us not think of food first?" Lauren asked, chuckling.

"Well, we have to serve chocolate covered strawberries and whipped cream. It will be our little secret." Bo winked.

Lauren nodded enthusiastically, "Definitely. Anything else?"

"All comfort food." Bo said, taking another sip of her hot cocoa, "Like this wonderful nectar."

Lauren laughed, "Add Chocolate and Bo Dennis falls in love."

Bo gave the blonde a devilish grin, "It worked for you."

Lauren raised her eyebrows, "I was in love long before you added chocolate. Let me see if I have this right. You want all of your favorites. Mac and cheese – the real kind, not the orange stuff out of the box, cheeseburgers, apple pie, chocolate cupcakes with rainbow sprinkles, fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, mashed potatoes, white cream filled donuts, chicken and dumplings. Anything I missed?"

Bo pulled back, shocked, "You missed chicken soup? You know how much I love your chicken soup."

Lauren shook her head, "I am not cooking on my wedding day."

Bo shrugged, "Just give the chef your recipe."

"I will not betray my grandmothers' trust." Lauren replied.

"That recipe should be shared with the world. It's horrible that I am the only one who gets to sample such goodness." Bo said, her hand over her heart.

"Not giving it up. We've talked about this."

"I know, I know. But one day, when we're living together, I'm going to find your cookbook and make that soup myself." Bo smiled.

"You? Make soup? I'll give you the recipe right now if it means you'll cook for me." Lauren laughed.

"Hey! I made you… popcorn… once." Bo replied.

Lauren giggled, "Microwave popcorn is not cooking."

Bo straightened in her seat, "It is too. Says so right on the directions. Cook for 3 ½ minutes!"

"Okay, okay. What else needs to go on the list, my love."

"Best man for you is Martin? Best gal for me is Kenzi." Bo replied.

Lauren nodded, then sat up straight, "Shit! We didn't tell Martin!"

Bo hurriedly pulled out her phone and searched for Martin's number, "Crap! I'll bet Kenzi already called him! Dammit!"

"Put it on speaker. I want to talk first." Lauren said, waving at Bo's phone.

" _Bo? Is everything okay?" Martin asked upon seeing his best friend's girlfriend was calling._

Lauren spoke next, "Martin, it's me, Lauren. You're on speaker with Bo and I. Haven't you heard from Kenzi?"

" _Kenzi? Why would I hear from her? Isn't she in Russia or something? What's going on? Is someone hurt?" Martin asked, his voice sounding a bit panicked._

"No, no one is hurt. We just thought… never mind. We called because we actually have great news!" Lauren smiled at Bo as the brunette took her hand, giving it a squeeze.

" _Don't keep me in suspense then, Love. What is it?" Martin asked._

"Bo asked me to marry her… and I said yes!" Lauren said, giddy as a young school girl.

" _You… you're engaged? My best friend Lauren Lewis is getting married? Bo, what did you do to my best friend? She swore she'd never take the dive! How on earth did you get her to cave?" Martin laughed._

"I think it's just my charm. I'm apparently irresistible." Bo laughed.

" _Anyone who knows Lauren knows she's been hooked on you for quite some time now. Honestly, I'm not surprised she said yes. I've never seen her happier and don't think I ever will. You two are that once in a lifetime love. Congratulations. I'm so very happy for you." He said with joy in his voice._

"Thank you, Martin. I have a question for you." Lauren said.

" _Anything, Love. What do you need?" He asked._

Lauren grinned at Bo, "Will you be my best man?"

" _Will I? I've been your best man for years now, Lauren. I will, indeed, continue to be your best and only man."_

"Ha. Ha." Lauren replied, "I meant…"

" _I know what you meant, Love. I will definitely stand with you as you marry that beautiful fiancé of yours."_

Lauren's smile beamed, "Thank you, Martin. I can always count on you."

" _Yes, you can, so make sure my Groom's gift is marvelous!" He replied._

Bo and Lauren looked at each other, mouthing the words groom's gift to each other, their faces showing their ignorance of wedding etiquette. They both shrugged, figuring they'd ask Kenzi later. Lauren continued,

"Everything okay at the…"

" _I know you are not about to ask me work questions while you are on a weekend get away with your brand-new fiancé, are you? Go! Get back to having an actual reason beyond work to be with that woman you're so madly in love with!" Martin insisted leaving Lauren laughing out loud,_

"That I can do." Lauren smiled brightly at Bo, "I'll see you some time on Monday then."

 _Martin suggested, "Take an extra day, Sketch. Things are fine here. We have that meeting on Tuesday, so just get here early and we'll prep for the meeting, then go out to lunch afterwards to talk wedding plans."_

"Tuesday it is. Talk to Kenzi. She's already nominated herself the wedding planner… and we're keeping it small, Martin! Very, very small. Please keep a leash on Bo's sister."

"PLEASE!" Bo shouted into the phone causing Martin to laugh.

" _I'll do my best." He replied._

"Small, Martin. We mean it." Lauren reiterated.

" _Small? I can do small. Elegant and small. I've gotta go call Kenzi. If I know Bo's little sister, she's already got half of this wedding planned. I've gotta put my special flare on things! This is so exciting! Love you both! Mwah! Mwah!"_

"Love you, Martin." Lauren said in unison with Bo.

" _Congratulations again, my darlings!"_

They hung up, grinning from ear to ear at their friend. Bo smiled, "He's so excited."

"He loves people in love." Lauren said, her eyes holding a bit of sadness.

Bo leaned forward, her hand cupping Lauren's face, "Hey. What's wrong?"

Lauren shrugged, "I just wish he could find someone again."

Bo nodded, "That must be tough."

"He was very much in love with his husband. It was a long, slow goodbye and even though he expected it, when the end came, it was quite a blow." Lauren admitted, "He fell apart when Quinn died."

"But you were there to help him pick up the pieces." Bo reassured.

Lauren nodded, "As best I could. Every once in a while, especially at Christmas, he talks about him. He still misses Quinn terribly."

"I'm sure. You okay?" Bo asked.

Lauren nodded, "I'm okay, but I do miss Quinn. He was my partner in crime at JLQ Enterprises. My ex was… demanding, opinionated, controlling and stubborn, and that doesn't begin to address her power hungry personality that came out eventually."

"Wow. Tell me how you really feel." Bo replied.

Lauren shrugged, "I thought I'd sugarcoat it since I don't want to give her anymore power than I already do everytime I mention her name."

"I'm glad that Martin got the upper hand when they came to blows."

Lauren chuckled, "She didn't have a fighting chance. My lawyers are better."

Bo nodded, "I'm not sure how he does it."

"Does what?" Lauren asked.

"Gets through the day without Quinn here and alive. I can't even begin to think about losing you like that."

Lauren nodded, "Sadly, death is an inevitable part of life, but hopefully, we'll continue to be the type of people that are destined to live long, well-fought lives."

"I'll drink to that." Bo said, taking a sip from her cup, "Whoa. Cocoa is cold."

Lauren watched as she placed the mug on the table beside her, "Martin will be fine. Besides, weddings bring people together all the time. He'll have fun and meet a lot of people."

Bo smiled, "Are you saying you're going to try to set up your best friend at our wedding?"

Lauren grinned, "Maybe, maybe not. We'll see what the guest list has to offer. I'm sure you'll feel obligated to invite some of your military people."

Bo groaned, "I hope not."

She sat back, frowning as Lauren laughed. Finally, Bo grinned, "Okay, so back to the fun parts of our wedding planning duties. What's this Groom's Gift?"

Lauren shrugged, "I've never been married either, Bo. Maybe we should look online for information about weddings. Then we can craft our own checklist by tossing what we think is unnecessary and keeping what we think is important."

"Sounds good." Bo replied, pulling out her phone to start doing some wedding research with Lauren. Who'd have thought it would be this complicated to marry the woman you love?

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **THANKSGIVING DAY, Evony's Farmhouse…**_

The door opened, revealing the incredible smell of a homecooked meal, that took the young soldier's senses by storm, "Wow. Something smell's amazing."

Evony gave a snide smile, "Of course it does, darling. This very special agent is cooking. Now, which one are you? Bit or…" the dark-haired woman snapped her teeth together, "… Byte."

Bit swallowed hard, shifting his feet back and forth while wringing his hat in his hands, "Uh… I'm Bit, Ma'am… I mean… very… special agent. This is Byte." He thumbed over his shoulder at his buddy who was equally taken aback by the very forward older woman.

Byte looked at his feet, "Ma'am."

"Farm boys." Evony rolled her eyes.

"Perfect for a Farmhouse, if you ask me." Bo said, approaching the small group from behind.

"General." Bit said, snapping to a salute while Byte did the same behind him.

"At ease, boys. You're part of the team that saved my ass and got me walking like a normal human being again. Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks, not salutes. So, thanks, boys - for all you've done for me."

Bo extended her hand, causing both men to smile and relax, "There we go. We're all family here. And don't worry about Evony. She won't really bite anything but her food. I'll make sure of it."

"Kill joy." Evony mumbled, her fingers stroking Bo's cheek as she walked back towards her kitchen, giving Lauren a smirk.

The blonde shook her head before looking at Bo and rolling her eyes. The brunette gave the boys a wave as she walked towards Lauren,

"Come on, guys. Everyone's at the table, just like old times."

The two men entered, their eyes traveling around the rebuilt home. Byte was the first to speak,

"Wow. It's just like it was before…"

"…but not." Bit finished.

"Our very special hostess wanted the old home back just like it was, but she made a few upgrades just in case the place is… what did she call it baby?" Bo turned to Lauren who replied with a chuckled,

"Under siege by confused loyalists."

"Is that what those guys were?" Specter asked, standing to shake Bit and Bytes hands.

"They were somethin'." Hale added, his arm wrapped over the back of Kenzi's chair who quipped,

"Who cares what they were! The somethin' that those guys are now is behind bars or dead. That's all that matters, right BoBo?"

Bo sat next to Lauren, intertwining their fingers on the table before planting a kiss on her cheek, "Right."

"Oh gawd. Bring on the turkey but hold the syrupy sweetness. AmIright?" Kenzi asked Hale, nodding her head towards the happy couple.

Hale smiled, "Aw, don't be like that, little Mama. They're in love and it was a long time comin'. Be happy for them."

"I am happy for them. I'm just not happy for me."

Bo shook her head, "Oh stop it, Kenzi. We've agreed to every single one of your 'terms' for our wedding."

The younger sister scoffed, "Every term except the most important one."

Lauren laughed, "Thousands of pink twinkly lights are the most important term for our wedding?"

"You two have no vision. It's about ambience. A most important feature of your nuptials." Kenzi insisted, her fingers pinched together with every word for emphasis.

"Kenzi, Admiral Burke is not going to allow his carrier to be highlighted with pink twinkly lights no matter how much he has insisted on hosting our wedding."

"Well, I'm offended that he has labeled the idea to be "too girly" for the strongest carrier in the Navy's fleet. Aren't ships called 'she'? And isn't the best pilot to ever fly off of that rust bucket a woman? Don't real men wear pink? Hasn't he heard of the 'me too' movement? Pink is also a symbol of the strength of every woman on the planet who has fought breast cancer with dignity and poise. He's the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for cry'n out loud! The example should come from the top!"

Bo shook her head, "Kenzi, he has agreed to move a ship out of a strategic location for a wedding against its new Admiral's wishes. He's not making friends by doing this, so I think we have to agree to what he has offered."

Sighing, the raven-haired sister relented, "Personally, I think he's wrong. Pink twinkly lights would also be a fantastic decoy. What foreign adversary would expect a battle-ready aircraft carrier to be decked out in pink at night?"

Chuckling, Martin leaned in, "She may have a point there, boss."

"Don't encourage her." Bo whispered back.

Kenzi sighed, "Well, at least he agreed to the fireworks. Maybe I can find those in pink."

Bo shook her head, "Don't forget he conceded to your request to fly everyone off the carrier in the new LeMar Industries four-passenger jets… which costs money, Kenz."

Kenzi shook her head, "Money they would have to spend anyway, BoBo. They're test flights."

Martin interjected, "Technically, they're test flights. The planes have been put through the ringer under every possible condition on base and they've been flown off of and landed on our company's carriers."

"But the military has to run their own tests with their own pilots. You know the drill." Bo replied.

Martin nodded, "I know. I just didn't want anyone here to think we're flying them to the reception in untested aircraft under untested conditions."

Kenzi shrugged, "And that's why we have the pink party bus waiting to drive anyone who wants to disembark on land and drive there old school style."

Martin shook his head, "I thought we agreed that the pink party bus looked like a giant bottle of Pepto-Bismol?"

"That was before the Admiral said no to the pink lights." Kenzi replied.

Lauren chuckled, whispering to Bo, "I don't understand your sisters' obsession with pink. She always seemed a bit more goth than princess to me."

"Kenzi is a multifaceted personality. You have to peel back the layers one by one to reveal her inner pink." Bo laughed, looking up at her sister in Hale's embrace.

She looked at the other end of the long table to where Specter, Stevie, Doc and General Walker sat playing cards and laughing like they were old war buddies, yet the truth was, the group spanned four generations. An odd collection of companions was gathered around the table, but they had all been united in one goal and that goal was now achieved. Yes, Bo thought to herself, she had an awful lot to be thankful for on this day. Particularly the woman who now held not only her hand, but her heart as well.

She looked down at her watch, "Kenz, what time did Tamsin say they were coming?"

"Mmmm, about twenty-five minutes ago?" She replied, "Want me to give her a call?"

Bo shrugged, "Maybe something came up?"

"Rage was super excited about having a real turkey dinner instead of the canned ham they were having on base because the turkeys arrived frozen. I was sure nothing would stop them from coming." Martin added.

A sudden knock on the door found Evony running to get it while everyone else turned and waited to see who it was. They saw the wheels before the occupant, everyone cheering when they saw General Flanders smiling at them while his son Carl Junior, pushed the chair across the threshold into the house. His wife followed, checking the oxygen tank hanging from the back of the chair before closing the door.

Junior looked up at Evony, "Head?"

Evony frowned and threw a thumb over her shoulder, "The bathroom is down the hallway on the right."

Nodding, he smiled, "Excuse me."

"Like I have a choice?" Evony snarled before Bo slapped her arm,

"Behave. You promised."

Evony shrugged, "Fine."

Bo gave the woman a warning glare before moving quickly to the General. She knelt down next to his chair and lay her hand atop his, "It's so good to see you, Sir. We didn't know you were coming."

Bo looked up at his wife who smiled at her, "Ysabeau. How are you, dear?"

"I'm well, Mrs. Flanders. How are you?"

"I'm fine, darling." She turned to the men at the end of the table, "Boys, help an old girl out, please? Your oxygen rig is fantastic, but I'm still not very good at switching out those tanks. Junior usually handles it when he's home, but he's a bit indisposed at the moment. Will you be so kind…"

Bit moved quickly to her side, taking her coat and pocketbook to hand them to Evony, "I've got it, Mrs. Flanders. I'll get him all settled here at the table. I'm sure he wants to be dealt into the game."

The General gave a nod of the head, something Bo had heard was a result of the same implants she had received. Apparently, he now had the use of three fingers on his left hand, movement of his head, the ability to swallow and speak in a raspy voice. They did expect him to continue to progress to the point where he hopefully regained full use of at least his upper body, but there were no guarantees. Still, Junior had told Bo that any progress is good progress. She just wished she could have prevented his condition so he could have retired hiking mountains and fly fishing in lakes and rivers as he'd planned.

"We're here!"

Everyone looked up to see Tamsin pushing a waving Manes into the house. Kenzi stepped up to her friend first,

"We were ready to call out the National Guard."

"I know, I know. I suck at getting his chair into my trunk and back out again."

Manes chuckled, "She doesn't suck at it. We just didn't leave with enough time. We had a late night."

Tamsin turned the back of her hand towards Kenzi who started jumping up and down and screaming.

"Oh my gosh! It's so sparkly! Lemme see, lemme see!" Kenzi took Tamsin's hand to examine the rather large diamond on her hand.

Manes looked at Bo, "Sorry to rain on your parade, Stick, but our wedding won't be until after yours. My fiancé here can't imagine why you two want a Fall wedding in the cold, rainy season. She wants a spring wedding."

Lauren scoffed, "Really? Beautiful fall leaves and a light breeze instead of the onset of mosquito hatching season? Fall clearly rules."

Tamsin shook her head, "Not in my book, Sketch. You can keep your Fall colors. I'll take flowers and showers any day."

Bo laughed, "Okay you two. How about agree to disagree?"

The pair nodded as Bo turned back to Manes, "So, how far did you walk this week?"

Manes laughed, "Beat your record, Dennis."

"Dammit! Look, it's not that I don't want to see you out of that chair eventually, but you're making me look bad, Wrench!"

He laughed, "Come on, Stick. You've got enough records, trophies and medals. You've gotta give props where due, right?"

Bo chuckled, "Agreed. So you finally popped the question, huh?"

He nodded, "I took your advice and got over my own shit… trusted that she loved me whether I was doing sprints or winning wheel chair races. Found out you were right."

"You do know there's stars on my shoulders now, right? If I'm not right, they gave the wrong girl a promotion." Bo laughed.

"Yea, with all the brass on my shoulders now, I'd better start getting it right myself."

The two nodded, sharing a hug before they turned to the sound of a clanging glass. There stood General Walker, raising a glass as he smiled proudly at the entire group,

"I know some of us have just arrived, but Evony tells me they're almost ready to serve the food, so I just want to take a moment to make a toast. To all of us gathered here today. We came together for one purpose and in the end, we achieved that purpose, but also found something very special. We ended up with the unexpected pleasure of a make-shift family to share for the rest of our lives. Today, on this very special Thanksgiving Day, I would like to express just how grateful I am for each and every one of you. I am grateful for all that you have brought to my life as well as what you have brought to each other. Together, we can do anything."

He paused for a moment to raise his glass to everyone in the room before he finished, "To those members of our family who are no longer able to celebrate with us in this newly constructed house that we all shared at one time, we remember you with love, with thanks and with a heartfelt wish that you have all found everlasting peace beyond this life."

"Here! Here!" Everyone said, raising glasses, bottles and cans in salute before hugs and mumblings of the names of the dead could be heard throughout the room.

Bo's eyes welled with tears as she looked across the room at her mentor. They raised their glasses to each other in silent understanding of what they'd accomplished and what they'd lost. Bo's gaze traveled down to where Lauren was wrapping her hands around the crook of her elbow and forearm, offering a comforting smile to boot. The moment was broken by a loud, crass voice,

"Okay, enough of the sappy stuff! This house has seen enough of the heavy. The food is ready!" Evony said, as she brought out the first of many dishes for the group, "Boys, get out in that kitchen and pick up anything my Sous Chef tells you to bring out!"

Kenzi mumbled, "Lambert is a Sous Chef?"

"Lambert is Evony's bitch. He's whatever she wants him to be." Hale replied with a laugh, causing Bo, Lauren and Martin to do the same as they took their seats around the long table. When they were all finally settled, and Ryan had delivered the turkey to the table, they all joined hands while Admiral Burke said a prayer. He made sure to note that it may be some time before they might all be together around the same table as duty will soon pull them in different directions.

As he spoke, Bo's gaze traveled around the table. She took the time to think of one reason she was grateful for each person sharing Evony's table. The last two years had been bittersweet, but she knew she had so much to be thankful for on this holiday. She looked at Lauren who was smiling as she spoke with her dear friend Martin. Next year at this time, she would be married to this beautiful woman. Yes, life sure had seen her through some ups and downs, but she had a family she never expected to have and love to last a lifetime.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **One Year Later, The Dal Riata…**_

Trick stood at the bar, polishing the old wood with a rag while the new bartender waited on a customer. He watched the young woman carefully, as she mixed the ordered drink with precision. When she finished, she glanced his way as she rung up the order and smiled brightly when the owner gave her a nod for a job well done.

"So, are you still pouring drinks, old man or is that a job for the fancy hired help now."

Trick smiled before he looked up to see the familiar face smiling back at him,

"Dr. Lewis! How are you? I wasn't expecting to see you in these parts again."

Lauren climbed onto the bar stool in front of Trick and smiled before holding up her hand, to reveal the wedding band on her left hand,

"It's Dr. Dennis now, but it would be really nice if you would finally call me Lauren, Trick."

He grinned, "That's right. I'd heard you and Stick had gotten married. Congratulations, Lauren."

Lauren nodded like a giddy schoolgirl, "Thank you very much." She noticed his clenched jaw, "Are you against my marriage to Bo?"

"Does she make you happy?" Trick asked.

"Very much so," Lauren grinned.

"Well then, my approval really isn't necessary is it. True love only comes around once in a lifetime if you're lucky. If you're exceptionally lucky, it might come around twice, but that is very, very rare. So, if you've found true love, far be it from me to insert my opinion into your heart. Don't let anyone tell you who to love, Lauren. But, for the record, you absolutely have my approval."

Lauren smiled, "Thank you, Trick. I'm sorry that you didn't get an invite to the wedding. Bo is…"

Trick put his hands up, "Say no more, Lauren. I know that Ysabeau is not happy with me. I can only hope that one day she will allow me to explain what happened all those years ago. She only heard my testimony during trial which meant she only heard answers to the questions the attorneys asked. I'm hoping that she would eventually hear my perspective on what happened all of those years ago."

Lauren offered a tight smile, "It's funny you should mention that. A few weeks ago, Bo and Kenzi put their family home on the market. They were going through old photos and came across their Father's journals. Needless to say, it would have been nice to have them two years ago, but as they say, better late than never. Still, it raised some questions about your relationship with Bo's Dad and what you knew."

Trick nodded, "I'm aware that she was told some things by General Walker about my relationship with her Father. That's why I hadn't expected a wedding invitation."

"Well, she's on her way here to talk to you. Now."

"I see." The elderly man replied, his eyes drifting to the rag in his hand as he began to polish the bar top again, "I suppose this conversation has been a long time coming."

Lauren nodded, "I hope you'll take the time to talk to her. She just wanted me here for moral support."

Trick nodded, "Of course."

He looked up, stiffening a bit before looking back at Lauren, "I suppose it's time to be morally supportive."

He nodded towards the entrance where the General was standing by the coat rack, removing her hat from her head. Lauren turned and smiled at her wife, standing to greet her as she pulled her gloves from her fingers.

"How were the training flights today?" Lauren asked.

Bo shrugged, "I easily beat our two top recruits. I'm starting to think I suck at teaching."

Lauren handed Bo a coat hanger, "But you're not teaching, Bo. The Colonels are doing the teaching. Do you kick their asses?"

Bo shrugged, sliding her coat onto the wooden hangar, "Don't know. I've never flown against them. They fly as my wing men when we do training flights."

"I'm an engineer, not a pilot or a General, but it seems to me that the woman at the top needs to educate the teachers before they can do their job. Why don't you schedule an early morning battle? Kick their asses a bit so they know they have things to learn so they can be better if they're activated. Of course, there's also the bonus outcome that your young pilots just might stay alive past their first year if they're receiving the elite training the program claims to provide. Best of the best right?"

Bo nodded, "So they say, but these pilots couldn't even shine Tamsin's shoes. Hale came in and went head-to-head with each pilot. They were dead to rights in less than fifteen minutes of air time. Waste of fuel."

Lauren grinned, "So does that mean you're actually going to take my geek advice and do early morning battle with your teachers?"

"Schedule an early morning 'battle'?" Bo smiled, "You mean training flight?"

Lauren gave Bo a playful slap, "Whatever you call it. I'm just trying to help."

Bo leaned in and gave her wife a kiss, "And I love you for it, Lauren." She stared down at where her hand held her wife's, the wedding band and diamond ring still shiny as the days she first placed them on her hand, "Yes, I think you're right. My 'teachers', as you call them, may benefit from some flight time with a little input from their commanding officers. I'll set something up for 0700."

"No breakfast tomorrow then?" Lauren asked.

Bo sighed, "I'll set something up for Monday instead."

"No, Bo. Your recruits don't fly tomorrow, so unless you want to fly with the Colonels on Saturday, tomorrow is the best day to do it."

Bo pulled out her phone and flipped through the schedule for the next day, pondering how she might do all that she wanted to do in a day. Finally, she smiled,

"I'll push it to 0900 after they've run through morning drills. The recruits are in the classroom with legal from 0800 until lunch, so it'll give us an hour for pre-flight if I send a message to give them all a heads up tonight. That way, I still get the morning hours with my beautiful and very, very sexy wife." Bo gave a light growl as she leaned in again, this time taking the opportunity to place three well-placed kisses on Lauren's exposed neck.

Lauren couldn't help but tilt her head towards Bo, "Okay, as much as I love your mouth on my neck, you are a high-ranking General at a nearby base. Maintain your composure, Ma'am."

"Ma'am?" Bo pulled back feigning shock, "Did you seriously just refer to me as Ma'am?"

Lauren laughed, "Well, you're certainly no Miss anymore."

Bo leaned in again, but Lauren gripped both of her shoulders and pushed her back, causing Bo to pout, "You are no fun anymore, Dr. Dennis."

Lauren slid her hands down her wife's arms, gripping her hands before leaning in and giving her a light kiss on the lips, "I'll be fun tomorrow morning. I'll have breakfast ready to go at 0500 on the back deck. We can watch the sunrise together and then… entertain… each other until a water-saving shower at 0700."

"Lucky, lucky me. Sounds like I'm getting lucky times two." Bo said, a broad grin spreading across her face.

"Maybe times three." Lauren whispered into Bo's ear causing her to close her eyes and smile as a chill ran down her spine at the feel of her wife's breath on her skin.

"Mmmm… sounds perfect, Baby." Bo smiled, giving Lauren another kiss.

"So, do you think it's time for to go finally have that talk with Trick?"

Bo groaned, "You know three minutes ago, I was fired up and ready to go at him. Now, that I've been standing here long enough to cool down and talk to you about… other things… I've got wife-on-the-brain."

"Wife-on-the-brain?" Lauren chuckled.

Bo nodded, "It's a serious medical condition."

"Oh really?"

"Most definitely. You were a medical doctor. I'm surprised you've never heard of it. Saps the fight right out of even the most legendary pilots and makes them putty in their wives hands."

Lauren gave Bo a devilish smirk, "If we weren't in public right now…"

"There's a bathroom in the back and I hear the keg room is a fan favorite as well." Bo grinned, reaching out to take Lauren by the waist, but again the blonde kept her senses,

"I am not having sex with my wife in a bar bathroom or keg room. Can you imagine how many germs are in those places? Especially since they're fan favorites."

Bo shrugged, "Only the keg room is a fave. There's still the bathroom."

"Have we met?" Lauren asked, waving her finger between the two of them, "You do know I'm a bit of a neat freak, right?"

"Understatement, but yes I am aware. I thought maybe you'd be willing to test your boundaries." Bo said, leaning in, but Lauren palmed her face and pushed her back, laughing,

"Not on your life, soldier. But if we get this thing with Trick done, I would be more than willing to taint the clean sheets on our bed." Lauren grinned.

"Tonight?" Bo asked, eagerly.

Lauren laughed, "My wife and her one-track mind. Yes, tonight."

"Deal. Where's Trick?" Bo said, turning towards the open bar to look for the elderly gentleman.

"Probably in the back," Lauren said, taking Bo's hand and walking her towards the bar.

"I should have told him I was coming." Bo said, second guessing her plan to ambush him so he had no time to think about what he was going to say.

Lauren nodded, "I warmed him up a bit for you.

Bo took a deep breath, "Good."

"I'll sit over here and read." Lauren said, dropping Bo's hand before veering off to the right, but Bo quickly reached out and gripped her wrist, shaking her head,

"You're my wife, Lauren. We have no secrets… and I would really like it if you were by my side to help me keep my cool in public. It wouldn't look good for a high-ranking General in the United States Air Force to go off half-cocked in a bar and hit an old man, no matter how much he deserves it."

"Bo, I thought you agreed to hear his side of the story before deciding what he deserved." Lauren reminded.

Sighing, the General nodded, "I did, but that doesn't mean I can't be impatient."

"That's exactly what it means, Bo. Please."

She waved Lauren's pleas off, "I know, I know. I'm sorry. I'll behave." She gave the blonde a kiss on the cheek, "See? That's why I need you next to me."

"Thank you." Lauren said as the pair walked to the bar together.

They each took a seat, looking up at the new bartender. She walked up to the pair and smiled,

"What can I get you ladies?"

Bo smiled, "Beer for me." Lauren nodded, "Same for me."

They watched as the bartender poured their drinks, Bo making idle chatter, "I don't remember seeing you behind the bar before. Are you new?"

The girl nodded, "I just started last week. I'm Jill." She extended her hand which Bo accepted, then Lauren as well.

"It's nice to meet you, Jill. So, any particular reason you chose here?"

She smiled, "I'm an Air Force Brat… well, I was. I'm twenty-two now and was in Grad School back east. My Mom has been here with my Dad living on base for almost a year now and she's been missing the East Coast – and me – terribly. I talked to my Dad and made the decision to transfer to a school out here next semester to finish my degree so I could be here for her. He works super long hours trying to build up this new joint military program, so my Mom barely ever sees him. The new General he's working for is a real ball buster."

Trick came to stand beside his new employee, "Jilly, you're doing a great job behind the bar, but your customer interactions still need a lot of work."

Bo frowned, "Apologies, Barkeep, but I thought she was doing fine with the small talk."

Trick gave Bo a tight smile, "Jilly, do you care to tell General Dennis what your Father's name is?"

Jill's movements came to a screeching halt, the glass she was holding hitting the floor as she looked up at Bo, seemingly paralyzed,

"I… uh… I'm… I am sooo sorry. Believe me when I say that my Father and I have very different opinions about his work schedule. He has never said a bad word about… you… General." Her eyes hung on the metal mounted on Bo's shoulders, "He taught me better… my Dad. The first thing you always do is…"

"Check the rank on the officers' shoulders before you speak." Bo quipped, "I was an Air Force brat too and believe me, I stuck my foot in it more times than my Dad could count." She laughed.

Jill seemed to relax a bit until Bo asked, "So, who is this overworked Father of yours?"

"Uh… Colonel Austin Weller."

Bo grinned, "Good man, Weller."

Jill nodded, "You still think so?"

"You don't?" Bo asked.

Lauren elbowed her wife for giving the girl such a hard time, but Bo was enjoying watching her squirm. She needed to learn just as Bo had that the child of a soldier putting their foot in their mouth with Tops could have serious consequences. Especially calling them a ball buster if they're the vengeful sort.

"No! I mean… yes! I mean… yes, my Dad is a good man! He's the best!"

Bo nodded, "So you think he can fly circles around me?"

"What? No! I mean…"

"You said he's the best." Bo replied, earning her another elbow from Lauren. She looked at her wife and gave her a wink.

"He's the best… Dad. I mean… he's a great pilot. I just don't know you, so I don't know if he's better than you or not."

Bo pulled out her phone. Dialing Weller's cell, she put it on speaker and left it on the bar top. When he answered, the color drained out of Jill's face,

" _General Dennis! What can I do for you, Ma'am."_

"Sorry to bother you on off time, Weller, but I had a schedule change planned for tomorrow and your daughter just reminded me that I needed to call you about it."

" _My daughter? You're with Jilly?"_

"Sitting across the bar from her. She pours a mean beer." Bo laughed, "I'm actually out with Lauren and we stopped by here to see Trick. It's a total accident that I met your daughter. She can tell you all about it later. For now, she's interested in knowing which one of us would win in a dog fight. You up for it?"

"Dad! I didn't mean it like that! I just…"

" _Put her foot in it, eh General?"_

"I'm sure you know the feeling, eh Colonel? I know I do." Bo replied.

" _Sure do, General. My Dad had me cleaning every car on the base that summer."_

"Wow. Your Dad was a good guy. My Dad had me cleaning the latrines."

 _Weller chuckled, "Well, that certainly tops my punishment, General. I guess I owe my Dad an apology for all the curse words I threw up to him while I was cleaning the company jeep that did a mud run before his Airman brought it back to me."_

"I guess that Airman followed orders from your Dad?" Bo laughed.

 _Weller replied, "He certainly did… and then some. He made sure the mud made it inside the vehicle as well as onto every inch of the exterior."_

"Well, I guess that's all in the past, Colonel. We just have to make sure we pass on our knowledge to the next generation." Bo smiled.

" _Message received, General."_

Bo grinned, "So, apparently I'm quite the ball buster and your daughter isn't happy with the amount of time you're spending away from your wife. That said, I'm giving everyone a long weekend, Saturday through Monday. You'll have to lay down some rules for leave with the recruits."

" _Told you that, did she?" Weller asked._

"She did. Take care of your family, Weller."

" _Affirmative."_

Bo smiled at Jilly who teared up. The General reached across the bar and gave the young woman's hand a squeeze as she spoke to Weller,

"So about that dog fight…"

" _No offense, General. But wouldn't you rather have someone who can give you a real challenge?" Weller asked._

"Dad!" Jilly yelled into the phone.

" _Jilly, when you have a chance, check out the walls around you. Standing before you, is true Air Force royalty. She can do things with a jet that I wouldn't even begin to understand. Some of the strategies she's used to save her squadron in battle are taught in classes I took in basic and she's not much older than me, Jilly."_

Bo smiled, "And that is why we're all going up, Colonel. You get to pick five pilots for your squadron. If the six of you win, you get Tuesday off as well."

" _And can I ask how many planes on your team?" Weller asked._

"Just me and Rage."

" _Great." Came the dejected reply, "And the recruits?"_

Bo answered, "They're with legal after morning drills. You won't have them back until after lunch. This is a training run for you and your team. If you lose, you still win by learning from the flight. We're going to do this often, Colonel, so get used to the idea. When your team beats my team, I add on until we're flying six planes each. You're well aware that our best pilots are now the ones giving orders. Someone has to be able to execute those orders. I'm counting on you, your fellow instructors and these trainees to be the future of this joint task force, Weller."

" _Roger that, Ma'am."_

"Good man. So, who are you taking up?"

" _I want Dunlop, Parker, Smalls, Robinson and Carrigan." Weller replied with certainty._

Bo nodded, "All great choices. Call your pilots, then call the hangar and have them get your planes prepped and ready for morning."

" _Yes, Ma'am."_

Bo hit the end button on her call before looking up at Jill,

"Just so you know, I had planned on the sortie before your verbal miscue, Miss Weller. But you should know that had I been one of the many egomaniac Generals in the Air Force, I might be suspicious that my Colonel was speaking out of turn to civilians. If that was the case, I might also never trust him to do the job anymore. In short, Jilly, you could hurt your Father's career. I'm sure that doesn't sound too bad to you considering how much time he spends away from you and your Mom, but you should know that it is difficult for soldiers to get work after they leave the military… let alone leave with a dishonorable discharge. Support him, Jill… please. Encourage your Mom to do the same. It sounds to me like she needs to find ways to occupy herself when he's away from home. There are lots of volunteer opportunities for spouses on base and it's a great way to meet other spouses who are in the same situation."

Jill nodded, "I'll see what I can do."

"Has your Mom worked before?" Bo asked.

Jill nodded again, "Yes, Ma'am."

"What did she do?"

"She worked for some super secret tech firm. It had something to do with security. To be honest, it never really interested me. Actually, if I'm being completely honest, she drove me crazy as a kid. She was always on me about my digital footprint and keeping it small. She was all about privacy and identity theft and… well, stuff that teenagers don't want to hear about. They just want to… well… this girl at my school… she met this guy who wasn't who he said he was. She met up with him and went missing. Luckily, they found her, but she was pretty messed up in the head after that, so… well… message received, I guess. My Mom quit her job to be a full time stay-at-home Mom after that to make sure I was monitored… my Dad's word, not hers."

"Smart parents." Lauren said, her eyes fixed on her beer.

Bo looked at Lauren and then back to Jill, "My wife may have a job for your Mom."

Lauren's head snapped up, her eyes fixed intently on Bo's. The General continued to speak, her eyes moving between Jill's and Lauren's,

"I can't make any promises, of course, my she is always looking for tech talent. She'll get a fair interview." Lauren sighed in relief, giving Bo a nod, so the General continued, her eyes now fixed on Jill's,

"Why don't you have your Mom put together her resume and add at least three references at the bottom. Your Dad can drop it off at the hangar on base."

Jill looked at Lauren, "Really?"

Lauren offered a smile, "Absolutely. The General is correct. We are always looking for tech talent. Now, I won't lie, the knowledge curve is steep. We only hire the best of the best, but she'll get a fair interview by a committee of our best."

Jill grinned, "Thank you. Thank you so much. She hasn't been able to get anything that was enough of a challenge for her around here. The best offer was working at the local high school handling their network. She quit after a week, saying it was boring and child's play."

That peaked Lauren's interest, "Good to know. Have her get that resume together. Do you happen to know the name of the tech firm she worked for?"

Jill shook her head, "It was a biomedical lab. Well, she didn't work at the lab, she worked at the company that handled the labs' security. It was a top-secret thing that did military contracts of some sort for Canadian and American branches of service. She couldn't talk to us about her work… it was one of those 'I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you' kind of jobs."

Lauren and Bo chuckled, "We understand."

Bo paused for a moment before she looked back up at Jill, "How much do you know about the program your Father is helping me develop?"

She shrugged, "Just that it's super top secret, so it's like my Mom's work all over again. I mean, neither of them have ever been able to tell me anything much about their work. It's kind of frustrating as a kid… especially when people ask you what your parents do for a living. Anyway, I'm used to it and so is my Mom, but… well… this job is different. I mean, he's not actually going off to fight in some war somewhere, but he still can't tell us anything. It's still frustrating, but we sort of understand."

Bo nodded, "Well, I can tell you that the program is for an elite group of fighter pilots who will be flying the latest aircraft our new aerospace partners have to offer. In order to train the younger generation of pilots to fly these planes, your Dad and his team must be able to fly them as well. You can't teach what you don't know, correct?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

Bo nodded, "So maybe if you and your Mom think of all of these hours your Dad is spending away as an insurance policy, it would help."

"Insurance policy, Ma'am?"

Trying as to be as delicate as she could, she replied with the truth, "If you and your Mom want your Dad to continue to come home after missions, he needs to learn, practice, learn more, practice more and play that on repeat over and over again every day of every week. If he doesn't do that and he is called to defend our nation or one of our allies, you very well may never see him again, Jill."

Bo paused a moment, letting her words sink in. When she saw the young woman's eyes well with tears, she knew she'd struck a cord,

"He needs to be ready and he knows it. Your Mom knows it too – maybe she's just forgotten all she promised she was willing to sacrifice when she married him. Time does that… makes people forget what they agreed to in the beginning. Loneliness does that too. Jill, I can tell you that your Dad if very much a devoted husband and Father… all of my soldiers are. He doesn't want to be away. Hell, I don't want him to be away because I know exactly how it feels. I lost my Father in a crash when I was just a bit younger than you and trust me, you don't want that life, darlin'. Let your Dad do what he has to and cherish the time you have with him when he comes home."

Jill nodded, "I'll talk to my Mom. I'll remind her, General. I'll make sure we're both giving him the support he needs and deserves. I've never wanted for anything because he has always worked hard for us. I'm well aware of the sacrifices he's made for me."

"Thank you. I'm sure your Dad will appreciate your support. It's not easy to go to work knowing your partner is home worrying about you." Bo smiled, squeezing Lauren's hand beneath the bar and giving her a quick glance.

"Yes Ma'am." Jill replied, before asking Lauren, "Can I get you another?"

"No thank you. We're actually here to speak with Trick." Lauren replied, noting that the barkeep had moved down to the other end of the bar and was talking to customers.

"They're actually just a few regulars. I'll get him for you." She said before turning to Bo, "Thanks again, General. I appreciate your understanding and your advice."

"You're most welcome." Bo replied, watching Jill walk towards Trick.

She turned to Lauren, "Thanks for following my lead on the job interview. I'm sorry I put you on the spot, but I thought it couldn't hurt to interview her. With your connections, if she's not what you want, maybe you could recommend another firm?"

Lauren nodded, "I get it, Bo. You wanted to help her out."

Bo shrugged, "She reminds me of me when I was her age, Lauren. I couldn't help it."

Lauren lifted the hand she was holding beneath the bar and placed a gentle kiss on the knuckles, "I know, Bo. That big heart of yours will always find a way to help those who have even the smallest need. It's one of the reasons I love you so much."

"Thank you, Lauren. You're always so understanding of my crazy ideas." Bo smiled.

"Your very humanitarian ideas." Lauren corrected.

The pair looked up at the sound of the barkeep's voice,

"You wanted to talk?" Trick asked Bo, getting right to the point.

Bo nodded, "Do you have time?"

He nodded, stepping to the end of the bar and giving the pair a wave, "I do. Follow me, please."

The two women followed as Trick led them to a room in the back of the bar. Bo's gaze traveled over the walls, her pace slowing as she began to recognize individuals in the photos. She'd never seen these pictures before. Lauren slowed, walking by her side noting that most of the pictures were of people she recognized from the family photo albums Bo had shown her one weekend before they were married.

Finally, the Barkeep pointed to a table, "I'll get your drinks."

The couple sat down, each looking up at the photo above the table. Bo's eyes went wide as she recognized the two men in the photo,

"That's my Dad… with Trick. I haven't seen this one before." Bo said as she continued to analyze the photos.

"I didn't recognize any of the photos we passed on the way back here." Lauren added.

Bo nodded, "I've never been back here. It's like a shrine to my Dad and his friends."

Lauren nodded, "I'm not surprised we haven't seen the photos. No one comes back to these tables. There's usually plenty of room in the front of the bar."

Trick arrived with the drinks, setting them down on the table as he spoke, "It's usually only the high-ranking officers that come back. They use this space when they need to discuss things privately and are worried about being overheard or caught on tape at the base."

Bo nodded, "Like my Dad. He sat here?"

Trick nodded.

"And Flanders? Walker? Anyone else?"

"Oh, plenty of stars and bars have sat at these tables," he said, referring to the metal on the shoulders of the officers who had graced this part of his establishment, "There's too many to name them all."

He took a seat and folded his hands on the table, "So, what did you want to know?"

"You knew they were framing my Dad the night he went up." Bo stated, her eyes set like stones on Trick's.

Trick replied, equally as calm, "Right to it then. Yes, I did."

"And you did nothing." Bo replied.

Trick shook his head, "I acted, but I acted too late."

"Why the delay? Just enough time for my Dad to get dead and the mission to succeed? How do I know you weren't involved with those we brought to justice?"

Lauren flinched slightly when Bo slammed her open hand on the table. Bo had been calm for days as this inevitable conversation approached, but she had sensed that her temper was approaching terminal velocity. She chanced a glimpse at her new wife, hoping she was calmer than expected, but instead saw the clenched jaw and furrowed brow that signaled she was, indeed, on the brink. She carefully moved her hand to Bo's thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Bo exhaled, her body slowly retreating back into the chair before she opened her hands and lay them flat on the table, relaxing her fists. She glanced at Lauren, her eyes thanking her for intervening before Trick replied, drawing the attention of both women,

"You heard my testimony and the testimonies of General Walker and Flanders at the trial. We tried, Bo. It's my biggest regret that we were too late. We sat at this very table two nights before. Your Dad knew they were going to try something, Bo. He had to follow orders. We needed proof or he was going to spend the rest of his life in some stinking prison cell for disobeying a direct order. If it wasn't a cell, it would be dishonorable discharge and he wasn't going to let that happen for fear of how he would provide for his family."

Bo nodded, "It still doesn't explain the delay."

"His test mission time was moved up. The window closed on getting the information to him. He chose to get in the cockpit and take his chances. He trusted the mechanics, but he didn't know they had been pulled into a meeting with Greene for two hours. It was enough time to get Hanes' people into the hangar to mess with the plane. His mechanics went over the plane once they'd returned from their meeting, but they had limited time before mission start and missed the ignition switch override."

Trick lowered his eyes, shaking his head, "The people Hanes sent in were professionals, Bo. It was all just bad timing. Not being able to get the message to your Dad is my biggest regret."

Bo nodded, "Walker said you had something for me."

Trick nodded, "Take the picture off the wall."

Bo looked at Lauren who shrugged. The brunette looked back at Trick before taking the picture down.

"Open the back." He said, nodding to the frame.

Bo did as she was told and opened the back, pulling off a piece of balsawood that held the photo against the glass. Beneath the wood were two lined pieces of paper.

"What's this?"

Trick folded his hands, "Your Dad wrote that for you before he left the bar that night. He told me that one day, you would come looking for answers… for closure. He asked that when that day came, that I give you this frame, including the photo and the letter."

Trick looked at Lauren, then back at Bo. Placing a hand over hers, he smiled, "Bo, I'm truly sorry that I could not bring your Dad home to you that day. But I do promise that I will always be here for you and Kenzi. Your Dad asked me to watch out for the two of you if anything ever happened to him. I've done that since his death."

"You." Bo said, the final pieces of the puzzle falling in line, "It was you."

Trick smiled.

"You paid for their funerals. My Mom and Dad. You paid our exam fees for the military. You paid… Trick…" Bo's eyes welled up with tears, "It was you all along. Why didn't you tell us?"

Lauren smiled, looking at Trick, "He was being watched too. Hanes, my Dad… all of them. They knew to watch you too. Everything you did for Jack's family would have been seen as a threat by the guilty parties."

He nodded before reaching into his vest pocket and pulling out an envelope, "This is for you and Kenzi. It explains everything."

Bo took the offered envelope, tearing the seal as Trick spoke, "Kenzi took your Mothers' maiden name to protect her from enemies, foreign and domestic, who may associate her with Jack Dennis. Your Mother took her Mothers' maiden name to protect her from my enemies, foreign and domestic. I was a spy, Bo. No one could know my true identity or that of my family."

Bo looked up at Trick, holding the two documents, one in each hand, "You're… you're my… you're my Grandfather?"

He smiled, "I'm so sorry I couldn't tell you, but it was for your own protection."

She looked at Lauren, "I have… he's… family."

Lauren smiled at Bo, taking the documents she handed to her as Bo looked across the table,

"You're my Grandfather?"

"I am."

"Kenzi's going to flip." Bo laughed.

"Actually, Kenzi already knows." Trick said, carefully.

"She… she what?"

"She knows, Bo. She figured it out when she was getting her name changed."

"She's known since she entered the D.O.J.?" Bo asked, shocked.

"And for the same reasons I couldn't tell you who I was, she couldn't tell you. It was for your – and her – protection."

Bo nodded, still shocked, "I get it… I hate it, but I get it."

She turned to Lauren, "Secrecy is part of our lives. It sucks, but this is the way it is in this world."

The blonde nodded, giving Bo a reassuring smile before she watched the brunette page through the contents of the envelope. The General gasped, her eyes wide as she read over one particular page.

"What is it, Bo?" Lauren asked, but Bo could not speak. Instead, she passed the document to Lauren before turning back to Trick, a look of shock now covering her face, as she finally managed,

"You're giving me the deed to the bar. Are you… sick?"

Trick smiled, "No, Ysabeau. I'm as healthy as a man can be at my age. I just want you to know that when I die, you and Kenzi will inherit all of my possessions and worth. I always hoped there would come a day where we could live knowing the truth of our relationship. I'm so happy that day has come and that you didn't get this information after my death. Ysabeau, I'm so very proud of the woman you've become. Your parents would both be proud as well… especially my daughter. She never wanted this life for you, but if it had to happen, she just wanted you to be successful and safe."

Bo laughed, "Well, the jury is still out on that successful piece…" Bo said, thinking of the new program, but Trick shook his head,

"You brought your Father's murderers to justice when none of us could, Bo. I'd call that a huge win." Trick smiled.

He turned to Lauren, "They both would have loved you as well. Bo's Dad loved smart people. He hung out with the engineers on his projects just like Bo here."

They all sat, talking for some time, sharing stories from long ago and revelations of what their future could now hold. Bo stood and excused herself to the bathroom before returning to the room to survey the photos on the wall a bit longer. Finally, she stood before a photo of her Dad in front of his jet and noticed a tiny head in the corner of a window. She grinned, noting the red ribbon on top of the girls head. She felt a hand wrap around her wrist as a familiar voice whispered in her ear,

"What are you smiling at?"

She lifted her hand and pointed at the little girl in the picture, "That's me… the stow-away in the back of my Dad's plane. Flanders took the picture. I remember looking out at him. He waved at me to get down. Even back then I was bucking orders."

Lauren chuckled, watching as Bo fumbled the lined paper in her hands, "Are you going to read it?"

Bo nodded, "It's from him."

"I thought as much. Are you okay? I realize this is a lot of big news in one night."

"I have a real, living blood relative, Lauren." Bo smiled.

Lauren nodded, "You do. I'm so happy for you, Sweetie."

Bo slid into the two-seater table just below the picture and stared at the letter, "Will you sit with me?"

"Of course." Lauren replied, nodding to Trick who placed a hand on her shoulder as he moved back towards the bar.

Bo took a deep breath and began to read aloud,

 _My darling Ysabeau –_

 _I am about to depart on a very dangerous mission and am entrusting this letter to my Father-in-Law. Please do not be angered that he did reveal himself and this letter to you sooner. I asked him to wait until a time when you had gained information and insight into the events that had befallen me on this night. If you are reading this, that time has come. I wish I had more time to tell you what led me to write this letter, but alas, my time is short._

 _You and I have had some great times together, haven't we? Even now as I head into danger, I'm thinking of the look of excitement on your face when I would sneak you into the cockpit of my jet and the shouts of joy when I would roll the plane. I laugh at the sound of your tiny voice yelling, "Again, Daddy! Again!" You were born to fly and I so hope you have had that chance whether it be flying tours over snowcapped mountains or military jets. I know it was your dream and you know that I fully supported whatever it was you and your sister wanted from life. Oh, how I've loved flying with you, Ysa. I wish we had just finished a flight and you were here with me now and sharing a post-flight bowl of your favorite ice cream with rainbow sprinkles. Sadly, we may never have that opportunity again._

 _We've always spoken openly about the dangers of my job. We've always spoken openly about why I had to risk losing my life with my family to do that job. I'm afraid those talks will be cold comfort to you if, some day, I don't make it back, but I hope that you know that every mission I've ever flown whether against a foreign combatant or right here on our home soil, I've never flown without you, Ysa. You and me, we're cut from the same cloth. I'm not sure your Mom and Kenzi will ever really understand me the way you do, but I trust that you'll understand what I'm about to do tonight when you learn the truth._

 _There are some bad men here, Ysabeau and I have got to take them down. If I don't, the Air Force and the rest of our military – even our country – will be at risk to live under a dictatorship unlike anything the world has seen since the days of Hitler. I have to do this and I'm trusting that my precious daughter will forgive me if I never return home to her._

 _I have a lot of very good soldiers on my side and while I'm not alone, I'm trying to use their help sparingly so as not to put their lives at risk. If they go down, no one will be left to fight this fight and our country will suffer. I'm sorry that my family has to be the one to deal with the loss, but my girls are the strongest people I know and I trust that you'll stick together and make it through whatever comes after I'm gone. I'm sure that you will help your Mother and little sister to not just survive, but to continue to thrive._

 _I wish you could have known that Fitzpatrick was your Grandfather, but his identity must be kept a secret at all costs. Once he tells you who he is, you will understand that he holds a long history of knowledge that could help those who want to harm our country. It is crucial he not fall into enemy- or seemingly friendly - hands… not that he would ever give up the information he holds, but he would be killed for it. If you've never met the man in this picture, then I fear that is exactly the price he paid for a mistake I must have made before my final flight. If so, know that you had a grandfather who once sacrificed all for you and the rest of the world to live free._

 _Cryptic as this letter may be, please know that the purpose is to say a final goodbye to my precious daughter. I hope that you have followed your dreams in my absence. I hope that you have found happiness, success and that one person who you could love fully and completely as I have your Mother. I hope that they love you unconditionally and – if you have chosen a military life – can be strong enough to love you despite the constant fear of losing you to a battle they know nothing about._

 _As I fly, know that my first and final thoughts in this world will be of your Mother, Kenzi and you, my Ysabeau. I will always be with you… I'm forever a part of you… in your heart and in your gut. Follow both, Ysa and you will always find your way._

 _With all of the love in my heart,_

 _Daddy_

Through teary eyes, Bo looked at the familiar signature in the lower right corner, verifying the letter was, indeed from her Father. She looked up at Lauren, whose cheeks were equally stained with tears. She crumpled the letter between their hands as she gripped the blonde's fingers tightly,

"He knew. He knew he was going to die that night. He knew and he still went up. He sacrificed everything for us… for so many."

Lauren nodded, "He was an honorable man who left behind a legacy for his honorable daughter to follow. He was right, Bo."

"About what?"

"You are cut from the same cloth. There is nothing that I've heard either before or in that letter that would lead me to think otherwise. He would be so proud of you today."

Bo nodded, "I wish I could talk to him. Hell, I wish he was my boss on this project – not that there's anything wrong with Walker and his staff – but I'm not getting much advice or direction from them."

Lauren smiled, giving her wife's hand a squeeze, "Bo, they see you as the expert. None of them can beat you in a firefight. None of them have topped the strategies that you've come up with on the battlefield. They're asking you to teach your techniques. They're unique."

"As opposed to what?" Bo asked.

"As opposed to what every other military in the world expects from American fighter pilots. New program, new look, new jets, new pilots, new strategies and techniques to go with all of that. You're growing the new version of the military, Bo. Everything we're doing will result in less loss of life – on land and in the skies. Everything we're doing will provide greater protection for civilians and greater success in getting the bad guy. Bo, if you want help, ask but I truly believe that Walker will simply tell you that you know best."

Bo sighed, "This legend stuff sucks."

Lauren smiled, "You just have to gain the same level of confidence in leading that you have with flying that old banged up jet of yours."

"Hey. Don't mock the jet. Old faithful has seen me through a crap-ton of battles. You have noticed I'm still alive, right?"

Lauren chuckled, "Yes, thankfully, I did not have a zombie bride."

Bo grinned, "Thankfully."

They sat silently for a long moment before Bo released her wifes hands and smoothed out the two sheets of paper and tri-folded them. Slipping them inside her jacket, she looked up at Lauren,

"Did you see where Trick went? I'd like to apologize before we say goodbye."

Bo smiled as she stood with her wife from the table. Lauren giving her a nod, "Good idea."

The General held out a hand, inviting Lauren to venture towards the bar ahead of her. Taking a few steps forward, Bo stopped, pulling the picture and frame she had dismantled from the table where she had sat with Trick earlier. She assembled the photo and mounted it to the wall once more before pulling out her phone and taking a picture of the photo. Kissing her fingers, she placed them over her Dad's face before smiling and walking out to the bar to seek out her Grandfather to set things right.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Red Flag School, Office of Joint International Military Operations**_

General Bo 'Stick' Dennis stood at the front of the room, laser pointer in hand as she reviewed the pre-flight information with the team that would fly against her and Rage. They'd been at it for over an hour and she could see everyone was starting to get antsy. She needed to wrap this up. She'd been doing solo training missions for months now, getting herself cockpit ready since her medical release. She was anxious to get out there for combat training with Rage as her wingman.

"So, to conclude, you all know why you're here. Defeat the two of us and prove that you are qualified to train the students we've selected for this program. Fail and you're going back to flight school with us as your teachers. Classroom sessions twice a week and flights three times a week on top of your duties as intructors. Any questions?"

"No Ma'am." Came a resounding answer.

"Okay then. Wheels up in sixty, kids. Godspeed. Rage is taking bets if you're in."

Tamsin waved a handful of cash at the room, smirking as she began counting what she'd been given so far. Bo watched as a few more officers walked over to the blonde before leaving the room. When they were alone, she asked,

"So, what are the odds?"

"Odds are you've just set us up for having to train these bozos for the next month or two. They're actually betting against themselves. What does that tell you?"

"Morale is low?" Bo asked with a chuckle.

"This isn't good, Bo. Seriously. How are our students going to respect their instructors if word gets out that we whooped their asses?"

"Because everytime our students go up, they'll still take an ass-whooping from their instructors, who will also be able to remind the cocky ones that there's always room for improvement. We'll be there to have their backs."

Rage nodded, "Meaning?"

"Any rooks get mouthy with the instructors, we invite them up to teach them just how bad they really are."

"Okay. So… maybe that could work."

Bo nodded, "Are you ready now or do you have more questions that will prevent us from taking full advantage of our chance to get back up in the air?"

"Turn and burn, baby. Turn and burn." Tamsin grinned, picking up her briefcase and following Bo from the room, "This is going to be fun."

Bo nodded, "And if we're lucky, maybe one or two of them will actually give us a fight."

"Where's Papa and Panther when you need… sorry." Tamsin stopped, realizing her mistake.

Bo placed a hand on her shoulder, "Hey. We all flew together for a very long time. I miss Mark too, Tamsin, believe me."

She nodded, "Still sucks."

"That feeling will never go away." Bo replied, opening the door, "Shake it off, Rage. Time to get to work."

"Roger that."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Somewhere over the skies of the Air Force Red Flag training grounds…**_

"Stick, I believe they're trying to lure us into a trap."

"Yea, they're going old school. I heard a few clicks on the radio earlier. They're still trying to find the channel we're on so they can listen in." Bo replied.

Tamsin laughed, "Too bad they didn't attend the _Tech in Battle_ seminar Bit and Byte held last week for the students."

Bo nodded, "Really pissed me off too. There's nothing worse than training instructors who think they have nothing new to learn despite being told they're flying new jets."

"So I take it you'll be explaining the new software that was put in our planes to continually sync our radios to various channels?"

"Nah. I think they'll be getting that lesson from you. As a matter of fact, I think I'll let you have at 'em as soon as we land. I plan to walk away after a good show of disappointment up here."

Tamsin laughed, "Roger that, General. I'll be happy to handle your light work for you."

Bo shook her head, "Hope you don't go too light. These guys are supposed to be the best of the best from all over the world. I'd go solo before I'd fly into combat with any of these guys."

"Maybe something's wrong with their radar?" Tamsin suggested.

"Do you really think those planes would be up here if that was the case?"

Tamsin chuckled, "Shit. Please don't tell my Honey I said that."

"Exactly what I was thinking. Manes would definitely be offended enough to stay at the hangar for a week… maybe two."

"Nah. Pretty boy knows what's waiting at home for him. He can't resist this hot mess."

"Your words, not mine." Bo laughed, "Of course, he may not have realized what a hot mess you are just yet."

Tamsin laughed, "You do recall that my man did ask me to marry him."

Bo tried to stifle her laugh, "And you did say yes despite swearing off the whole marriage thing a very long time ago."

"Are you saying you don't think it would work?" Bo could hear the change in her friends' voice, so tried to backtrack.

"Hells no! You're madly in love with Wrench! I think you should go all in, but that's from someone who doesn't have to live with the day to day with the guy."

"Because he may never get out of the wheelchair?" Tamsin asked.

"Of course not. What I mean is that I don't have to live with the guy. I don't know what happens when you're alone any more than you know what Lauren and I deal with when we're alone. That's something only you can decide. I sure as hell think you two fit perfectly from what I see in public. You've been head over heels with him for a long time, Rage. What's stopping you?"

Tamsin smiled, "Nothing. You know I said yes."

Bo looked out her window at her friend, "You could have led with that instead of all of the doubt."

"I suppose that's true." She grinned, "So will you be my wingman when we get married?"

Bo nodded, "Sure thing, Rage."

"Did you clock the ping on the radar?"

Bo smiled, "Looks like they've finally found us. It only took…thirty minutes."

"Actually, it was thirty-seven, Ma'am." Rage corrected, "I've been clocking them since we took off."

"Yea, well they suck. If this was search and rescue, we'd be dead by now." Bo replied.

"Evasive?" Rage asked.

"Is that gonna be your strategy with Manes?"

She heard Rage groan, "No."

"Good. Then get rid of that iffy stuff."

"And our strategy with these rookie Colonels?" Tamsin asked, desperately wanting to change the subject now.

"Let's pull them in a bit closer first." Bo grinned, "Let's have a little fun. Tag team?"

Rage smirked, "Now you're talkin' Stick."

"Override radio scramble. Switch to mission channel."

"Ready to override."

"Override." Bo ordered before speaking, "Well, kids, it only took you thirty-seven minutes to find us according to the tiny clock on the wrist of your training officer. May have to fly you with the students if you can't do any better. My guess is you're arguing over strategy."

Bo heard a click, then a voice, but cut it off, "I don't want to hear any excuses. I don't want to hear any arguments. What I know right now is that if you were in a search and rescue pattern for thirty-seven minutes, odds are, the pilots or soldiers you were looking for are now captured or dead. There is nothing you can say that would be an acceptable reply for your failure to work as a team to execute a simple search of the grid specified at pre-flight. Test one failed. Now, let's see if you can take down enemy combatants any better."

She used hand signals, telling Rage to pair and scramble the radios again before signaling to evade. Once their radios were off channel, she spoke,

"Orders, Ma'am?" Rage asked, reverting to battle mode.

Bo replied, "Let's go back to your suggestion to evade for now. See if they can pull off a formation that challenges us. There's six of them and two of us. Hopefully they don't actually kill each other in the process."

"Your lips to the ears of the jet Gods." Rage replied.

"Breaking right." Bo stated.

"Breaking left." Tamsin answered, the two maneuvering a good distance apart to split the efforts of the instructors.

"Rage, what do you say we do a little Do-see-do?" Bo laughed.

"I love it when you invite me out square dancing, Stick. On your mark."

Bo checked her radar and saw two fighters coming up on her tail while one flew over and one under her, "Aw, they're trying to wrap me up in a box. They're such givers."

"I'm insulted here, Stick. They send four after you and only two after me?"

Bo chuckled, "What can I say? My reputation precedes me. Too bad they never actually took the time to read the mission reports. If they had, then they'd know that you were the reason I survived a few of those battles."

"Me and my team. It sucks to be the unsung hero… until you want to make egomaniacs look bad."

"Like now?" Bo asked.

"Exactly like now." Rage replied.

"Mark."

The two jets flew towards each other, Bo counting down over the radio, "Five, four, three, two, one… roll!"

Bo pulled up before rolling over Tamsin's jet and leveling off while Tamsin banked hard and low before rolling out under her leader. The blonde immediately looked over her shoulder and down at her radar,

"Whoa! Shit! They are freakin' idiots! Three of them almost collided!" Rage shouted, "We almost lost three pilots and three planes. Should we call this?"

She sat, waiting for a reply from Bo. When she didn't get one, she asked,

"Come back, Stick."

"Sorry, Rage. I'm not used to those G's at this speed. My training missions have been basic maneuvers. This is the first time I'm letting loose."

"You alright?" Rage asked.

Stick shook out her head, "Been a long time since I got dizzy pulling that move. Feels like I'm back to my rookie days."

"Well, you're still a better rookie than these guys. You sure you're alright?"

Bo shrugged, "Dizziness passed pretty quickly, so I think I'm good."

"I'm trusting you, Stick."

"I wouldn't take a chance continuing if I wasn't tip top. That shit gave me a perfect reason to end this without having to hang myself out to dry, so this isn't my ego getting in the way if that's what you're asking. Moving on." Bo said, refocusing on the mission.

Tamsin asked, "Roger that. So when was the last time any of these guys saw combat? Are they rusty?"

Bo shook her head, "From their mission reports, they've basically all been doing supply drops and long-range bombing runs. That's what happens when Tops thinks their best pilots are the ones with the most air time and most kills. Flying is much more than stats."

"Roger that." Rage replied, still a bit nervous that her friend had gotten dizzy, "You sure you're okay?"

"I'm good, Rage. I'd never risk your reputation for a training flight against this team." Bo replied.

"So, do we ground 'em or keep 'em going?"

Bo shrugged, "We've gotta know what they've got, Rage. Otherwise, we have no idea how to train them. Wanna dance?"

Rage chuckled, "Movie night?"

Bo smiled, "I'm feeling 70's disco."

Rage laughed, "It's not a Saturday."

"But still, I've got the fever." Bo replied, laughing. Long ago, the two had developed a code with Hale and Mark for squadron maneuvers based on dance moves back when they were just starting out. They still used the maneuvers to this day, but Tamsin was always upset that she never got to be the lead.

"Can I be Travolta this time?" Rage asked.

Bo laughed, "Fine."

"Is that 'fine' yes or 'fine' I'm about to say no?"

"You've got lead, Rage. Show me your best moves."

"Yeehaw! Finally!"

"Don't let me down." Bo replied, "Hold me real close now, baby."

Rage laughed, "I love it when you talk dirty to me, Stick… it's especially sexy now that you're a married woman."

Bo chuckled, "I'm no cheater, but for this I'll make an exception. Consider this your bachelorette party."

"No way. I want a legit night out on the town – strippers and all."

Bo laughed, "Got it. I'll get Kenzi on that."

"Oh yea! That'll be a great night."

"And I couldn't plan a proper bachelorette party for you?" Bo asked, a bit offended.

"No offense, Stick, but you and wifey never go out anymore."

"We go out. We're just… early risers, so we don't like staying out too late." Bo replied.

"On a weekend off?" Tamsin asked before Bo interrupted, catching a ping on her radar,

"We've got company again, Rage."

"Here we go, Stick. Party at the disco," Tamsin smiled, "On my mark. Three, two, one, mark."

Rage pulled above Bo who slipped beneath Tamsin's plane, the two breaking hard right in tandem before the blonde counted out again,

"Five, four, three, two, one, brake!"

The two slammed on their brakes, and pulled up, watching three jets fly past them before rolling left and climbing. They repeated the maneuver again, coming up behind the six fighters.

"I've got the three on the left." Tamsin called.

"Roger, I've got the three on the right, staying in range to assist." Stick replied.

They flew radio silent, each pursuing their respective fighters who were trying their best to use evasive maneuvers to avoid the pair getting missile lock on them. Bo kept her eye on Tamsin, remembering to watch out for her lead even though they were outnumbered.

"Two down, going for my last." Rage stated, with effort.

"My three are down. Coming back into the nest." Stick replied, moving back to Tamsin's wing just as the blonde got missile lock on the last jet.

"You want lead again, Stick?"

"Nah. Let's unscramble the radio so I can have a few words with these boys. When we land, I'm bolting for the student session so I can speak with them about coming to watch some of these sessions we're about to have in the early mornings. You have at these boys and express my… disappointment."

"Early mornings?" Tamsin asked.

Bo laughed, "Just twice a week out of the three aerial combat training days, Rage. Can you handle that?"

Nodding, she responded, "Affirmative."

"Switching to coms." As Bo switched, she could hear the arguments going on among the pilots. Sighing, she pulled her cellphone from her side pocket, flipped on the alarm and held it up to her mic. The radio went silent and then she spoke,

"More blame game, huh? Listen up and listen good, Colonels. I saw nothing today – not one damn thing – that tells me you should be training the best pilots Red Flag Excel has to offer. You just got your ass kicked… SIX of you… by two pilots. Total engagement time that followed your botched search pattern was thirty-two minutes. In addition, three of you almost collided and died. Imagine those headlines, kids! Three expert international pilots died during a training mission in the California skies. The horrific explosion could be seen for miles around. Naturally, someone on the ground with a cell phone caught the entire thing on video and they then post that video to social media so your family can watch the moment of your sickening death for the rest of their lives. If they don't happen to see the video moments after it happens, Rage and I then have to go and confirm to your next of kin that you were one of the pilots in that ball of fire on social media and that the ball of fire happened because you had allowed your skills to decay, lacked training and practice and were careless and stupid!"

Bo took a breath, following Tamsin's descent pattern towards base, "Now, today was your first lesson. Here's what I hope you've learned. First, no briefing on base that your students attend should be missed by a training officer. Every one of you skipped the tech briefing last week. Your students would have known what to do when we were radio silent. Sadly, none of you could say the same which is why it took so long for you to find us!"

She looked out the window, then back down at her fuel gauge. She was a bit low on fuel which meant everyone else was as well. After what she'd seen from the instructors, she believed their fuel situation may be even worse.

"Second, you allowed hearsay and reputation to influence your pursuit patterns. Sending four fighters after me and only one after Rage was not standard operating procedure and made no sense. If all six had pursued one of us, you would have forced the other to join making the fight six to two rather than three to one each."

Out of all of their mistakes, that was the biggest rookie mistake of all, Bo thought before moving on,

"Third, you failed to work as a team which is why you were unable to stop only two pilots. We flew as a team using your pursuit methods against you. Fourth, using four planes to chase one that was moving directly towards its wingman put you in a dangerous position that almost cost real life up here today. Three of you are lucky to be alive. Think about that. I don't know about you, but if I'm dying up here, I want to go out saving a life, not being stupid and taking my brothers and sisters with me."

She noticed Tamsin's wing signal stating they were getting close to approach for landing,

"Fourth, to use an old movie line, 'your egos are writing checks your bodies can't cash'. Put the egos aside or go back to where you came from, kids. From now on, you'll attend every training session your students attend. Consider yourself back in Red Flag school. We'll be flying missions like this one every Tuesday and Thursday morning. For the next four weeks, you'll fly against other members of my team. One additional day, you'll meet Rage and I to show us what you've learned. Be better, kids."

Bo cut the radio, calming her emotions before she spoke to Rage, "I'm flying light, Rage. You?"

"Really light, Stick."

"That tells me our opponents up here are even lighter since they were probably flying harder during the first hour or so."

"Roger that, Stick." Tamsin switched to coms, "Team leader, can you confirm fuel status?"

"Confirmed dry."

"Team leader, I'll remain with Tops. You take the hard deck first."

"Roger. Thanks."

Bo shook her head, "Rage, add that to your list of grievances on the ground."

"Roger that, Stick."

Bo shook her head. Apparently, this job was going to be more of a challenge than she'd thought. It was time for a meeting with General Walker.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Lauren and Martin sat side by side in the hangar of the Red Flight training school, reviewing the flight computers of the planes that had gone up this morning. Manes had called and asked for help because the eight planes that had gone up for a training flight were supposed to be ready to use again in four hours. It was a tall order, so he'd called in all hands.

Bit and Byte were working on software upgrades based on the latest tech session they'd had with the new pilots. Todays' exercise would involve radio scramble and radar jamming tactics. Bo wanted to know if the students could still fly as a team without radio.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lauren could see Bo's hands waving up and down as she shouted at someone on the phone. The brunette hadn't said a word after she'd landed. She'd walked away from the group, leaving Tamsin standing there giving the group of instructors an earful.

Bo slammed down the phone and walked to the hangar entrance where an entourage of vehicles pulled up just before the door. Lauren wiped some grease from her hands, watching in anticipation. Finally, the driver opened the rear door revealing General Walker. He walked immediately to Bo, the two nodding and talking animatedly all the way into her wife's office.

"What's that all about, Sketch?" Bit asked, moving to stand next to Lauren as he, too wiped his hands.

Lauren shrugged, "I know what you know. Let's get back to it. We have about two hours left for the recorders, so it'll be tight."

"My team is ready to review flight recordings." Bit replied.

Lauren looked up at Martin who was holding up a pair of headphones, "Mine too. Let's get at it."

He nodded, walking with Lauren over to the bench where eight flight recorders lay awaiting the attention of the technicians. Lauren took the one labeled Stick, plugged in and began to listen to the confidential information. Martin listened to the one labeled Rage. Beside him, Manes wheeled his chair under the counter and plugged his headphones in to listen to the flight recording of the leader of the instructor team. The rest of the techs moved to the counter, one by one, each listening carefully while watching the screen of the digital recorders, changing errors in the dictation software's interpretation of what was said.

A little over an hour into the recordings, Lauren and Martin looked up at each other and smiled. They both looked at Manes, who looked at them and then back at his screen. Martin nudged him, offering a bright smile,

"Congratulations, Mate! Your woman is serious about marrying you, eh?"

Lauren stood and wrapped her arms around him from behind, "Pay him no mind, Manes."

"What are you two talking about?" Manes asked.

Martin held up one ear of his headphones, "Just a little conversation between your fiancé and Stick. Apparently this proposal was bigger than any of us knew. That girl of yours had sworn off marriage. You must be something pretty damn special."

"Shit." He said, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, come on, Manes. They were passing the time." Lauren replied.

"I'll never hear the end of it." Manes replied.

"Be proud of it, Manes. It's what Rage will expect. Anyone gives you a hard time about it, I'd recommend you have something ready to say that involves making Tamsin look good." Martin replied.

Lauren nodded her agreement, "Okay, we'd better get back to it."

Martin nodded, though Lauren caught General Walker and Bo heading back out of the hangar, both still in deep discussion, though Bo was now carrying a stack of files. What was going on?

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

General John Walker had been listening to the new commander of the Red Flag International Training Program for over an hour now. He had never seen this young pilot this upset over the flight capabilities of a group of Colonels. Since it was an international crew, he did not have first-hand knowledge of most of the pilots, but his counterparts from the other nations had assured him they were top notch. So, what had happened up there? One thing was certain, he'd be asking for the flight recorder transcripts… maybe even the recordings themselves so that he could support Stick in any way he could.

He watched as Bo flipped open one of the pilot's files, "This guy has flown combat missions in four different disputes… note the wording… disputes. Not wars, but disputes. What the hell is a dispute? The entire record is redacted, so I have no idea what they actually did! If you flip through the other files, they're all very much the same. The common thread? Every one of these guys flew solo before they came here. Not one of them has had to work as a team. They need to check their egos at the door, but the problem is, they can't even get through the door because their heads are so damn big!"

Walker nodded, finding no fault in what Stick was saying thus far.

"Now look at the ages of these guys." Bo directed the General's attention to where the age was listed, opening cover after cover until all of the files were laying open atop one another, the ages visible immediately next to each other, "Not one of these guys is over twenty-five. Now, look at the dates of promotion. Every single one of these guys was promoted from the equivalent of our Airman to Colonel in less than three months. Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

Bo watched as the General sat back in the large armchair, his elbows propped up on the side with his fingertips forming a tent as he tapped them together,

"It would seem you need to call Kenzi and find out what the International community thinks about this program? What they told us about who they were sending and who they've actually sent are clearly in opposition. Let's call them in."

"The pilots?"

"The pilots." General Walker nodded, "Call Rage and have her bring them all into the conference room next door. She can have Bit and Byte review the tech discussion they were all too cocky to attend while we interview them one at a time with Rage. Actually, is Santiago back from his protective detail yet?"

"I received a report that he landed about ten minutes ago, Sir."

Walker laughed, "You know, you really need to stop calling me sir, Stick."

"Sorry, John. A decade-long habit is hard to break."

Walker nodded, "While you were dealing with that little ruckus that happened in the arena, I talked to Rage."

"I'll talk to her about letting the arena get out of hand." Bo said, though she actually agreed with Tamsin letting it go on as long as she did.

He chuckled, "She seemed to be enjoying their fight a little too much. She really can't let the candidates get into brawls like that. They've got to develop trust in each other…"

"John, with all due respect, I agree with her method."

"Excuse me?"

Bo gave him a tight smile, "Rage and I went at it five times while we were here as Rooks. The fourth time, the training instructor stood there while his officers took bets on who would win. The fifth time he did it again."

"Interesting. The two of you seem to be the best of friends now. How did you go from fighters to friends?"

Bo shrugged, "I kicked her ass all five times in the ring, then saved her ass in an early mission when she lost an engine and panicked. Then, she saved my ass two missions later. From that point forward, we trusted each other."

Walker nodded, "Okay. I'll allow it… for now. Just rein her in if it doesn't seem to be doing anything for the relationship. Remember that these two guys are from two different countries that don't usually get along. She may have to deal with some bad blood and help them to see their common ground."

Bo waved her phone at the General, "Rage and Papa are on their way to pick up the Instructors. I'll text Kenzi now."

The General nodded, "Bo, we have to look at the real possibility that the international community may not be ready for a joint operation like this. We may have bitten off more than we can chew here."

Bo shook her head, "I don't believe that. Lauren and Martin are doing work with the international community at NASA and they're not the first ones. If they can do it in space, why can't we all get along on Earth?"

Bo sat back, tossing her phone on the table, heaving a big sigh.

"You've poured your heart and soul into this program during the past year, Bo. I can see how passionate you are about making this work, but the bottom line is that we can't do it without the other heads of nation buying into what we're doing here."

Bo nodded, "I still say we should have done this through the U.N. rather than individual governments."

General Walker raised his eyebrows and cocked his head, "I hadn't heard that was a path you wanted to take."

"I told Kenzi and she passed it on to the D.O.D. committee members who were specifically chosen for this project."

"Those boneheads? They're all politicians." John scoffed, "They're more worried about budgets than defense and they think the program is redundant. That guy… what's his name? Uh… McCormick from… well, I forget where, but he said – and I quote – why do we need a mini-United Nations running out of California?"

Bo shook her head, "Nice to know we have the support of the people hand-picked to run this program for the department of defense."

John nodded, "Like I said, they're not really interested in defending anything. Kenzi should have come directly to me."

Bo shrugged, defending her sister, "She was following the chain of command just as we were taught, John."

"Okay, okay. I get it, Bo. But the two of you are going to have to start sticking your necks out a bit." He chuckled, "As much as you drove me crazy with your inability to live by the book when the two of you were flying together, you've always made the right choices when you've gotten… what do I call it? Creative?"

"So… you're suggesting that I break protocol?" Bo asked.

"I'm suggesting that you make decisions on the ground the same way you make them in your jet. Follow your gut."

"All due respect, Sir? You've just questioned Rage allowing things to get a little out of hand in the ring. Seems in opposition to your last order, Sir."

"Point taken. That's one of the reasons I won't come to this base often, Bo. I don't want to micromanage you and your people. I want you to follow your gut. If you do, these pilots are going to learn to follow their guts."

He shuffled a stack of papers as he continued, "I'd also mention that your use of the word 'sir' is noted, though I really wish you would consider it standard procedure to speak freely with me on matters regarding this program, Stick. I've told you repeatedly, we are partners in this project – no titles when we speak in private. While on paper I am, in this room when we're talking about the living breathing machine that this program is hoped to become, I am not your superior."

He crossed his arms over his chest, and smiled, "Besides, if we were to go head to head – both of us at the pinnacle of our careers – I've no doubt you would take me out in less than fifteen minutes. I'd dare any man in any branch of the service to say different. You are my chosen expert, Stick. I'm following your lead."

Bo watched as the man ran his hand over his cropped hair – something she'd learned over the years, he only did when he was frustrated with her. She sighed, knowing that the transition to partner with a man she'd admired her entire career would be difficult at best. She'd never even considered going head to head with this man. She wouldn't dare mention that she could never take the shot to take him down. She'd always been in awe of the man who followed her career since it began… since her Father had died. He would always be on a pedestal and the knowledge that she could beat him in a firefight would do little to change that.

"Well, first of all, I believe my pinnacle was yet to come before I was given a desk. Second, when I say 'all due respect, Sir' I mean it with everything that I am, John." She chuckled, "Hell, even calling you by your first name feels so… wrong." She looked up at him, smiling, "You've been my father-figure, my boss, my mentor and – yes, I'm well aware of how much you've protected me. From the moment I arrived on base a few years ago, you bumped General Green from his command right in front of me to save my ass."

"Push-ups in a conference room? Were you really expecting me to allow him to treat the Air Forces' top pilot that way when I'm sure you spoke the truth in whatever you said to piss him off."

She lowered her eyes, her face twisted, "I've always known I could trust you… count on you…" Looking up, her eyes brimmed with tears, "…and both of those have been a very, very hard thing for me to find since the day my Dad died. Kenzi, Hale, Rage, you… the list has been pretty short for most of my life."

Lifting his hand, he wiped away a tear, "I'm glad to know there's a human heart in there that can still shed a tear for what she's lost. I can't tell you how many times I've worried that the missions were turning you into some sort of unfeeling machine. Many times I went to Trick telling him I was going to pull you from service before those wackadoodles got you killed."

"What stopped you?"

"Trick. He reminded me that your Dad would never forgive me for not allowing you to make that decision for yourself."

Bo smiled, "He was right. You know I would never have pulled myself from a mission, but I definitely would have found a better way to accomplish my mission objective if I thought I was going to die doing it their way."

"Trick told me exactly that on a number of occasions. He hated that you didn't follow the rules of engagement all of the time, but he also knew that doing so, saved you many, many times."

"It's funny that a man I had never met until I got my wings and entered his bar for a drink, thought he knew me well enough to offer you advice."

"He knows you better than you might think, Bo. Give him a chance. He's been in the shadows looking over your shoulder your entire life. It's his greatest regret that his job kept your family from living your truth. Maybe you always knew there was more to your history. Maybe that's why you found it so hard to trust. Either way, I'm certainly glad you learned to open yourself up again."

She took a deep breath, quickly composing herself. She was human enough to feel the embarrassment of losing her shit in front of her superior officer,

"That was all Lauren… well… I think we brought out the humanity in each other." Bo smiled.

The officer nodded, "I'm glad you found her. She's something special, that wife of yours."

Gazing down at the band on her finger, Bo grinned, "Very special indeed."

"So, back to training these pilots from the gut…"

Bo shook her head, "I don't know how to train a gut, Sir."

Walker smiled, "Sure you do, Dennis. You trained every gut in your squadron. You trained them by example. You and Kathryn sat down and wrote a curriculum while she was helping you get back in the saddle, right?"

"Yes, Sir."

"And are the two of you sticking to the curriculum?" Walker asked.

"Yes, Sir. We agreed…"

"Since when have you and Kathryn Matthews ever agreed on anything? And if you don't mind my saying, you are her boss now, Bo. You're her boss because you can kick her ass in a jet. She learned her gut from you."

"Again, all due respect Sir, she kicked my ass a few times before I upped my game."

"Yea and she's a better pilot now than she ever was. She's better because you beat her and she hates to lose. She's better because you continue to best her even though you're now riding a desk most of your days."

Bo nodded, an internal groan riding up inside her at the reminder of her desk duties. She wasn't sure she fully understood what the General was trying to tell her. She just knew that he was asking her to be the leader he's assigned her to be. She was in charge of all of the Special Tactics programs. Sure, Kathryn had helped her to write the Instructor's Manual common to all bases, but she was now teaching flight maneuvers from the decommissioned carrier they were using as a floating classroom in the Pacific. Walker was right. She was in charge and she'd better start acting like it. It was time to put her signature on the product she was creating… a new, better, faster, smarter fleet of pilots and aircraft. Why was she continuing to use standard Air Force procedures when she'd never used them herself most of the time? Maybe she'd been going about this all wrong.

"Permission to…"

"Dammit, Dennis! You're my equal! Ask! Ask!" Walker's face ran down his face, then back and forth across the back of his neck.

"Sorry…"

"And stop apologizing!" Walker sighed, running his hand over his hair as he paced back and forth. Finally, he turned to Bo once more,

"You know… I love you like a daughter, Bo but dammit! One of these days you're going to have to get your head out of your ass and realize just exactly who you are. In your mind, you know there's no one that can beat you. You know you've been chosen for missions you had no right surviving. You've heard people call you the best… the legend. You're the youngest General in any branch of the military, but yet here you stand, second guessing yourself every step of the way. What's it gonna take for you to trust that you have what it takes to do this?"

He walked to her, hand slicing through the air to emphasize his point as he spoke, "No, it's not a cockpit. No, it's not a jet. No, it's not a mission with a clear objective. But this program… you can do this, Bo. You can do this, but I can't do it for you. I can't do it for you because while I've seen you do the things you do, I have no idea how you do it – no one does. That's why we chose you."

He sat back down in the chair beside Bo and turned it to face her before he spoke, "What do you want to do, Bo? You're in charge of all of our schools. You're the one I'm counting on to build the best pilots in the world to take down evil-doers everywhere. Ignore the branches of the military. Ignore boundaries between countries. Ignore who's in charge of what. Ignore everything but your mission objective to build the best pilots. How do you do that? How do you make these pilots see the cockpit, their plane, their missions the way you do? How do you make them feel what you feel when you fly? How do you pass on your instincts… your gut instincts? I'll do anything to help you be successful here, Bo. We need this program to succeed and I still believe you are the only one who can do this. Anything you want, I'll get it for you. Name it."

Bo sat still in her chair, mulling over the question as Rage and Papa came in and took their seats opposite her. They'd both heard the General's last question, so sat staring silently at their friend and leader. The brunette looked at Tamsin who straightened in her chair and gave a firm nod. Finally, Bo spoke,

"I want a new team."

"Name them."

Bo stood, taking a few steps away from Walker, she turned back, "I need Bit, Byte, Lauren, Martin and Manes to build the best aircraft in the world. I need Kenzi and her staff to help with finding the best international pilots because they certainly aren't here right now. I need Rage and Papa. I need Kathryn, but only if she is willing to serve under me without question. Pilot who come here must qualify to stay here for more than forty-eight hours, during which time they will fly against my team."

"Done." Walker replied.

She continued to pace around the room, stopping once in a while to look at Walker, Rage and Papa,

"Also… right now, this is still a U.S. Air Force Base. This needs to be a multi-branch, multi-national base staffed by Kenzi and her people – who, by the way, need to be on base here with military titles so this is a true multi-national base under multi-national military control. Keep the politicians out of here."

Walker hesitated, "You know as well as I do that if they're contributing financially to this base, we'll have to work with them."

"Work with them, yes but they don't get tours, oversight or insight into top secret areas any more than any other country does. They don't like it, we'll move the base elsewhere. The Canadians were quite welcoming."

Walker grinned, "I'll do what I can on that front. Much of that can be handled with a simple seating arrangement. We'll send a clear message by placing all multi-national military leaders at the round table and the politicians behind them… far behind them."

Bo, Rage and Papa all laughed at the thought of the politicians taking a back seat the people actually running the base.

"Should be interesting." Bo grinned.

"What else?"

"I don't know how General Flanders will feel about this, but I want Junior Flanders, reactivated to come to base here. He's working for the civilian airline that flew me here when I was first transferred to the test pilot program. I was in the cockpit for a while and watched his work as a Navigator. His course adjustments were spot on and I believe he would be an excellent instructor for Osprey pilots among others."

"Osprey pilots?" The General asked.

"You want the best here? That means every plane we currently have or envision needs to fly out of here. From what I understand, Carl was one of the best Osprey pilots to ever fly. I read up and found out that the truth behind his transition to the public sector was a dishonorable discharge by General Greene for 'speaking out of turn'. He spent four weeks in the brig and was then discharged. Bogus, I'm sure."

"I'll get his reinstatement started as soon as I'm back in D.C."

Bo shook her head, "All due respect, I need him now. He needs to be called back as an active duty soldier so the airline doesn't blacklist him for future employment because he broke a contract. You could start the process with a text right now if my suspicions are correct."

General Walker nodded, "You are correct."

Bo watched as John sent off the text. Placing his phone down on the table, he turned back to Bo, "What else?"

"I'll need more hangars and more mechanics to accommodate the International Elite Training Academy fleet."

"I like the sound of that." John smiled.

Bo nodded, "Thanks, it just came to me. Naturally, Lauren and Martin will need a hangar of their own for LeMar Enterprises to do their top secret work here. Of course, I'll have to ask them if they're willing to sub out their other non-military contracts."

"From what your wife has told me…"

"Please. When we're in this room, she is Doctor Dennis, Sketch or Lauren." Bo interjected.

"As you wish. Apologies." The General replied.

Bo gave a nod, "I don't want her to lose her identity to me while she's here doing her work. She deserves respect for what she does and deserves to earn a reputation in her own right. Referring to her as my wife may take that away and that would be unacceptable. Further, I don't want people to see us as interchangeable. She has no idea how to fly a jet beyond the basics and I have no idea how to build a jet beyond the parts and aeronautics I need to understand as a pilot."

The General nodded, "Understood. I believe LeMar has subbed out most of their contracts since they started doing work for NASA. They're struggling to keep up without help and they're very picky about their hires. What else?"

"Background checks on everyone. I want Lambert and Fleurette-Marquis to do those. As much as they drive me crazy, they're thorough and I trust them to reject those who might apply for nefarious reasons."

"Agreed. Anything else?"

"I want Stevie monitoring all base communications. His team should include Ross and Barley, call signs Tracker and Eyes, respectively. They've learned not to trust anyone – even their superiors. It paid off once before, so I'm sure it would pay off again if need be."

"Done." The General replied yet again, "Anything else?"

"I'll let you know as I think of things. For now, Rage and Papa will determine if anyone who is here – instructor or student – is worthy of staying. We'll design the preliminary qualifying flight tests in the coming days. I want to spend a day at every one of our elite training schools. I'll pick the best of each to put together what I believe to be the best methods for training and then go from there. I believe I'll be using methods from Top Gun, S.E.A.R. and Special Forces for sure. I'll also be checking in with commanders from our allies to see if they have anything to offer."

"Are you going to go head-to-head with the multi-national pilots as well?" Walker asked.

Bo nodded, "No one gets a free ticket to this base. No one. They can send who they want, but if they don't measure up against us, they don't get in.

Rage asked, "You went undercover in all three of our flight training academies about seven years ago when they were investigating sexual harassment charges. You sure you want to go back there, Ma'am? You didn't make many friends."

Bo looked at the blonde, "Don't remind me. It sucked. Bright side – most of those idiots are gone."

General Walker frowned, "I'm sorry you had to experience the inappropriate tactics of those leaders in order to get them out, Stick."

"Me too, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. You trained me well in hand-to-hand, Sir." Bo smirked.

"I never did hear an explanation as to why those guys showed up in the Judge Advocate's court all bruised and bloodied."

Bo smiled at Tamsin, "Actually, these two were part of the rescue team. Tamsin showed up just in time at S.E.A.R. and… well, let's just say she did her call sign justice."

John smiled, "Those boys should be glad it wasn't me. Unacceptable conduct."

Bo cleared her throat, "Okay then. That should about wrap this up. Do we want to start these interviews?"

The group nodded in unison, "Hale, you know most of these Colonels. Do you mind calling them in?" Bo asked, handing a file to each person in the room, "These files contain a single page on every pilot on base. Just the basics – age, number of years in active 'combat' which, I caution you, does not mean actual fire fights. We'll have to ask about that with each candidate. Also, country of origin, medical tests, G-force tests, etc."

Tamsin asked, "Are we expected to bring in someone from every country?"

Bo looked at the General, who asked Bo, "Do you believe it necessary?"

"For political reasons, every country that wants representation on this team should have a shot… but then again, we're not politicians. We need people who we can trust – not people who are in the back pockets of their politicians. I believe that will be the most difficult part of our mission objectives. The last thing we need are spies amongst the ranks of our pilots." Bo replied.

He nodded, "I'll handle any political fallout for anyone that does not pass Kenzi's security checks or the flight qualifications. Eliminating less than average pilots may actually help us to get the best of the best from our allies to this base."

Tamsin and Hale looked at each other before Tamsin began, "But I thought we had the best of the best on…"

Bo who waved her off, "I'll explain later. For now, just check the ages and years of experience on the candidates we were sent from all of our own branches as well as the foreign sector. In short, the program hasn't proven its worth, so we're clearly not getting the best of the best."

The General chuckled, "Still quoting Top Gun, I see."

Bo smiled, "Sorry, General. It's sort of our thing."

"I've noticed." He winked, tilting his head towards Bo with a smile before looking up at Hale, "Santiago, before I forget, congratulations on a long overdue promotion."

"Thank you, Sir."

"I was happy they agreed that you, too, had been held back from promotions by those corrupt bastards and advanced you two ranks to Commander."

Hale nodded, grinning widely, "It's been a long time since I've had a promotion, Sir. It's timely, to say the least."

"Oh?" The General asked.

Hale stuttered, looking quickly at Bo and then back to his hands, "Uh… yea. The uh… extra money… moving out here instead of living on a carrier. Uh… the travel since Kenzi is… ya know… in D.C. and all. A relationship on opposite coasts is… challenging."

Bo scowled, kicking herself for not having thought of the travel factor in her sisters' relationship before. Kenzi had always been traveling back and forth to Russia. She only just realized that may have been why her sister and Hale hadn't gotten more serious in years past. Until now, she hadn't thought about the fact that pulling him here to this base had again put him on the opposite coast of her little sister.

"Well, seeing as Bo wants her here on base, it seems that will solve the problems of your love life." Walker smiled.

"Where will promotions for the people on this base come from?" Bo asked of her commanding officer.

He thought for a moment before he replied, "I would say that recommendations from commanding officers would go up the chain to you and Kenzi, depending on the position of the potential promotion. Then one of you can send it up the chain to my people. It would be a system that would hopefully be another way to show all of the nations the benefits of sharing."

The door opened as Tamsin quipped, "Hell, I learned sharing in Kindergarten."

"Yea, well you apparently have had all of these years to learn to share, but still haven't quite caught on."

Bo looked up to see her sister standing in the room, "Kenz?"

"You rang?"

"I texted you in Washington. How the hell did you get here already?" Bo asked.

"Lauren invented a transporter. Scottie beamed me here." Kenzi said, taking a seat next to Bo and putting her feet up on the table, "Rad new boots, eh, BoBo?"

Bo stared at her sister in disbelief, "Yes, but can you please get them off the table? Walker is reinstating your military status."

Kenzi's eyes went wide, "I am NOT going into combat again! You can't do that!" Kenzi stood, pushing her chair back, eyes wide with panic.

Bo put a hand on her sisters' arm, "Kenz, relax. You're not going into combat… well, not in war zones, anyway. But you are going to have to do combat with Evony on a regular basis… and I may need you to take on some entry exams."

Kenzi slowly sat, realizing the outburst she had just made. She took slow, deep breaths as she'd been taught in her counseling sessions before casually slipping back into her seat and mumbling,

"Maybe I'll fly jets again after all."

The corner of Bo's mouth dropped as she cocked her head at her sister, "Kenz."

"Sorry." She looked up at the General, "How can I help you, Sir?"

"Did you get the memo on your rank should you return to service?" General Walker asked.

"I did, Sir. I just chose not to respond to it because I had not intended to return to service. Is there a reason I'm being reactivated, Sir?"

He nodded, "Your sister has requested your presence on this base in a security supervisory role. Since this is a military base and you will be supervising members of every military and intelligence agency in our country, we want the supervisor to be military. You're both D.O.J. and military, so you're more qualified than Bo's other candidates for the position."

"Other candidates?" Kenzi asked.

Bo interjected, "Evony and Ryan. They're the only others that have been on the inner circle these last three years."

Kenzi nodded, "So I'm basically doing D.O.J. work from a military office with a military title."

General Walker nodded, "And reporting to the Base Commander and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs."

"AKA, you two kids."

He nodded and smiled, "Of course, once you're reinstalled, you can't call us 'kids' anymore."

She looked at Bo, "I've said it before, I'll say it again. He's just no fun, but okay, I'll do it." Kenzi replied, looking to Hale, "Is this why you asked me to come here?"

"I had no idea this was going to happen. We'll talk about why I asked you here later."

"You said it was urgent Military business and that Bo requested you. Then I got a text from Bo when I landed. So…"

Bo looked confused, "Hale hasn't used his phone since he stepped into this room. It's impossible that he would have known before entering that I wanted you here."

They all looked at Hale, "Look. Kenzi, I can explain. I couldn't get any leave right now and… well, I wanted you here for personal reasons. I can't explain right now, but I promise when we're finished with this meeting, I'll tell you everything."

Kenzi and Bo shared a glance before the older sister shrugged, looking down at the file in front of her. This was her little sisters' call and she wasn't about to get involved.

"Fine." Kenzi said, turning to the General, "Do I outrank him?"

The General shook his head, "He's a Naval Commander. You're a Lieutenant Colonel."

"You want me on base on the west coast, I need to be a Colonel. I'm taking on more work, more responsibility and I have to come to live in the land of natural disasters and no seasons. I mean… what's winter without snow? Huh? Plus, I'm the highest ranking official in the D.O.J., so…" she asked.

"The sad thing is, General, she's serious. She hates the west coast. She loves the seasons and she loves snow despite having the body fat of a paper clip to keep her warm." Bo smirked.

"Hey!"

Bo ignored her sister, "How long until you'll consider an adjustment in rank? She did save an entire plane, fought in four firefights on the ground and three in the air."

The General nodded, "And she was a Captain when she left the Air Force, Stick. She jumped two ranks for her work these past two years, most of it as a federal operative, not military." He looked at Kenzi, "We'll revisit a promotion in six months."

Kenzi nodded, "Done."

"Santiago, bring in the first candidate."

"Instructor or student, Sir?"

"They're all candidates in your commanding officers' eyes now, Santiago."

"Sir, yes, Sir."

Bo watched as Hale moved away from the table, her eyes traveling down to the folder in front of her, "Let the games begin."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Whatever is going on in there, it's big." Martin said to Lauren as they walked past the conference room where students and instructors alike were lined up on chairs outside the door.

"I realize that." Lauren said, ignoring the group and focusing on getting the planes prepped, "But we have a job to do."

Martin laughed, "A job we're doing in a hurry for nothing. Can't you text Bo and ask her if the flight schedule has been changed? I would love nothing more than to take our time and go over these planes once more since we had to do a rush job."

Lauren sighed, knowing her partner was right, "Fine."

She sent off a quick text to Bo and stood waiting for a moment, "We should keep working just in case she doesn't reply or says no change."

They turned to walk quickly out of the hangar, when they heard Bo call Martin's name. The pair turned and saw the brunette jogging towards them,

"I'm so sorry I didn't come out and tell your team before we started this… these… interviews. Everything just happened so fast and General Walker wanted… look… I can't tell you everything right now, but we're flipping this place on its head. This is going to be the new headquarters for LeMar Military Aviation – the name is a work in progress that you'll have to come up with – but you two are about to be very busy… I mean… if you accept the offer."

"Bo, what are you talking about?" Lauren asked.

"As I said, I don't want to say too much. There's an offer on the table having to do with your company. I have to get back into these interviews, but… listen… everything we've talked about… the General is on board including not referring to you as "my wife". It's either Lauren, Sketch or Doctor Dennis."

Lauren smiled, "I'm proud to be your wife, Bo."

"I know and I love you for it, but here on this base, I want people to respect you for the work you do, not respect you or treat you a certain way because you're a General's wife. Trust me. I saw my Mom lose her identity to my Dad's career until she was lost all together. You were there when we talked to Jill Weller about her Mom. I will not let that happen to you."

Lauren nodded, "Okay."

Bo placed a hand on each of their shoulders, "LeMar is going to be hiring. Start the recruiting process!" she clapped her hands together, "Gotta get back. I'll see you soon."

Lauren called out, "General? About the planes?"

"All flights are grounded for the rest of the day. Take your time… or go get started on those new recruits…" Bo grinned, knowing her wife would get a laugh out of her next suggestion, "… or… take the rest of the day off, Doctor."

Lauren laughed, "Ha. Ha. We'll be going over every plane from nose to tail and wing to wing. It will be a late night in this hangar."

Bo thumbed over her shoulder towards the conference room, "It'll be a late night for me too. We're interviewing every instructor and student."

"Oh, please tell me we don't have another…" Martin began.

"… Don't worry, Marty. There's no enemy on our doorstep, but after our training mission this morning, we also don't have the right people in your planes."

Lauren sighed, "Tell us about it. Two planes came back with their gears totally screwed… I mean literally. I'm not sure where these pilots learned to fly, but they're clearly not the best of the best… and since I'm not a pilot, that's saying something that I know that and they don't."

Bo smiled, "Text me the names of the pilots that were in those two planes. That'll save us two interviews."

"Will do." Lauren replied.

"See you later." Bo grinned, giving her wife a wink.

Lauren blushed, "See you soon."

Bo watched as her wife turned and walked away, quickly flipping the pages of her clipboard. She wanted to call out to her… she wanted to apologize for the fact that they were stuck at work with yet another problem that Bo needed her to fix. She wanted to tell her…

'… _drop the clipboard, Lauren. This is ridiculous. Life is short. We're leaving. Where are we going? We're getting in my jet parked just 30 feet away from where we're standing. What? It needs fuel? I'll get one of Manes' guys on that. I'm the General. I have the power to do what I want in my hangar. Right… where we're going? We're going to Paris...'_

Wait, Bo… not Paris. That psycho Jeannette was French. But wait…are French Canadian people like France French people? Better try somewhere else.

'… _We're going to Vermont. I hear it's beautiful this time of year.'_

"LAUREN! WAIT!" Bo called out to her wife. She jogged the distance to where she stood and stopped in front of her, tugging at her collar as she looked down at the badge on Lauren's lab coat.

 _Dr. Lauren Dennis, LeMar Aeronautics, Air Force Contractor_

"Bo? What's the matter?" Lauren asked.

"Uh… nothing."

Lauren smiled, "When you tug at your collar like that, you have something to say but we're in the wrong company for you to say it. You're stuck between Air Force General and dutiful wife again, Bo."

Bo sighed, hanging her head, "I seem to be stuck there a lot lately."

Lauren shook her head, "I don't know why. The work we do is important and we both enjoy it. Best of all, we get to do the important work we love together."

Bo smiled, "You always know how to shine a light on moments that I felt like the darkness is going to swallow me whole."

"Sweetie, you'll figure this out. I know you will. I just… forget it."

"No, Lauren. You're the smartest person I know… plus, sometimes you seem to know me better than I know myself. Whatever you want to say, please say it. Any advice is good advice right now. Please. Tell me."

"I feel like you're spending too much time listening to what other people think. They gave you this command because you are the legend, Bo. You're the best pilot the Air Force has ever known… probably the entire military despite that Navy a-hole who thinks he's Gods' greatest gift to the sky."

Bo laughed, "I love when you defend my honor."

Lauren shrugged, "Well, it's true. I can't wait until you go head to head with him."

"Well, you may get your wish sooner than you think."

"Really?" Lauren asked.

Bo nodded, "Yup. He's on the short list, so will most likely be accepted into the program... although I find it funny that Weller didn't choose him for his team this morning."

Lauren nodded her agreement, "Tamsin was here when we were doing final maintenance checks and said the same thing. She overheard a group of guys coming out of their locker room talking about his shitty attitude and using some apparently unflattering Top Gun references that I can't remember."

Bo smirked, "That says a lot about a candidate. It also tells me that he'll be first class trouble unless I can knock him down a peg. I just hope that unlike Maverick, his 'Goose' doesn't have to die for him to learn the lesson."

Lauren put her hands in her lab coat pockets, her demeanor changing as she asked, "I take it you didn't run after me to compare your current class to your favorite movie. What else is going on?"

Bo nodded, "You're right. I ran after you because… well, in my head… I was imagining throwing you over my shoulder caveman style, tossing you into my jet over there – after I had Manes' crew refuel it – and flying you off to Paris. But then I got all confused in my head about whether or not you would have bad memories of Paris because of that chick Jeannette and…"

"Jeannette?!" Lauren laughed.

"Well, a few years ago when you told me about her…"

"Bo, I haven't given Jeannette even a breath's worth of thought since that night I manipulated her into giving her shares to Martin."

"Along with yours." Bo recalled.

Lauren shrugged, "To-may-toe, To-ma-toe. We got control over the devices I had built and we're building a new company now, so it all worked out in the end."

The pair stood in silence nodding their agreement, Bo looking up several times as if to speak, but she remained silent.

"Sweetie, it was a nice thought. I'd love nothing more than to take another jet ride with you. It has been a while." Lauren smiled remembering the last time Bo took her for a joy ride before the conspiracy was uncovered, "But there will be other times for us, I promise. We have two to three days of hard work to put in and then we'll be able to sit back and pat each other on the back for our success. You and I both know that you can't keep running this program with sub-standard talent. The program will fail with your name attached. Besides, you hate to lose."

Bo nodded, "I can hear my Dad now. Failure is not an option in the Dennis family."

Lauren grinned, "He was right. General and Doctor Dennis will not fail. We don't know how to fail, remember?"

Bo nodded, "Are you quoting one of the most scientifically inaccurate movies of all time… in your opinion?"

Lauren laughed, "It's so bad! If you had just taken basic…"

"I did take basic aeronautics, Lauren. I fly jets, remember?" Bo replied, laughing.

"I was going to say Earth-Space science." She chuckled, "And I know you're super smart."

Bo grinned, "It's okay. I guess I'm going to get back to this mess."

Lauren nodded, "And I've got work to do for the General. She's quite the ball buster."

"You have balls for me to bust?" Bo laughed.

Lauren giggled back, "Of steel, Baby. Balls 'o steel!"

Bo grinned, "I love you, my lovely little geek."

"And I love you, my darling, daring pilot." Lauren replied before adding, "And I'd drag your ass over to your jet and give you a quickie right now if all of your subordinates weren't around." Lauren winked, licking her lips before she turned and walked away leaving a stunned Bo standing with her mouth agape.

The General's mind raced with the possibilities,

' _You're the General. You could send everyone home right now. Well… not Walker, but everyone else. Of course, with Walker here, how would you explain sending everyone home when you just agreed on the direction you were going to take to turn the school around. Dammit!'_

Bo pulled out her phone and searched through the locked file of photos she had of her wife. Pulling up the last one she had taken last weekend when she woke before her wife, she grinned. The photo was of Lauren on her back, arms overheard, one leg bent slight up as she lay naked atop the sheets on their bed. She tried to contain her wicked grin as she sent the photo.

She stood for a moment, watching as her wife pulled her phone from her back pocket and immediately shipped off an additional text,

' _I'll make sure my engine is fully fueled so I can turn and burn with you all night long.'_

Hitting send, she looked up to see her wife scanning the area as she held her phone tightly to her chest. When the text arrived, Bo turned to walk away, looking over her shoulder as she watched her wife blush. She only turned away when Lauren finally looked in her direction, hand on her chest, swallowing hard.

Confident strides carried her back to the conference room as she whispered, "Score one for the General."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Two Years Later… International Special Forces Squadron Graduation**_

As Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, it was General Walker's responsibility to preside over any military graduation, but this one, he had decided, needed many honorees. From British Royalty to the Canadian President, John had requested that someone from each country say a few words to inspire this first graduating class. It was now his job to turn things over to Bo. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her sitting at attention, her tell-tale jaw clenching saying all he needed to know about how anxious she was that he finish up so she could get this over with. She always did hate being on a stage of any kind. Despite the slight distraction of his finest student, he continued,

"… it's been a long haul for these special graduates, but under the direction of General Ysabeau 'Stick' Lewis Dennis, they have become the best pilots on land, sea or in air. Together, this group will be the start of a new war against enemies who are a threat to the peace and prosperity of the nations of this planet. I offer my sincere congratulations and god speed to you all as you take on your duties with your squadron. And now, I give you your Commanding Officer, the legend who needs no introduction to most of us, Lieutenant General Ysabeau 'Stick' Lewis Dennis."

The graduates jumped to their feet, cheering and whistling as their C.O. moved to shake hands with her own mentor. They shared a smile before he stepped away to stand by the table holding rows of the newly crafted International Special Forces Squadron wings.

"Thank you. Thank you. Seriously, kiddies. Take your seats. That's an order."

Bo smiled, not really serious about the order, but also very uncomfortable with being in the limelight. She wanted them seated so she could get this over with. Thinking of that fact, she made a last-minute decision and crumpled up her page of notes into a ball, tossing it beneath the podium. She looked up, her eyes traveling across the faces of her students as she spoke,

"You know, I hate being up here with all eyes on me. I've always hated it. I never asked for a life in the military spotlight. I never asked to be called The Greatest or The Legend." The class laughed as a devilish grin broke out across Bo's face, "But since none of you rookies seemed to be able to take me down, I guess I'll just have to keep the title for now."

Everyone laughed with some of the guys shouting out cheers of support for the most respected pilot in the world. She raised her hands, trying to bring the crowd back under control,

"Behind you, the first graduating class of this academy, are the next group who will attempt to complete this training. I asked them to attend today so that they could our truth. So that they could witness what many said could never be. So that they could see a group of men and women brought together – across borders, cultures, genders, and previous allegiances – to defend not just the people of their country, but people across the globe. Today, I want you all to meet a squadron who has found a home in each other rather than a swath of land divided by a boundary on a map. We are charged not with the duty to protect a specific land mass or group of citizens, but rather each and every living being on this planet."

Bo took a breath, allowing her eyes to travel to each and every student for a long moment, "Have you figured it out yet? Have you figured out why you came here, why you stayed and why you signed that massive contract?"

She watched as each and every pilot nodded,

"You know, when I first started out, I just wanted to stop people who were trying to wage senseless, deadly wars on innocent American people… people who were simply trying to live the life they'd been lucky enough to be granted. As it would turn out, some of those waging wars were waging them on me, my friends and family, my colleagues and the citizens in my own backyard. It was a hard pill to swallow, but it opened my eyes to what was happening in this brave new world of ours."

Bo shook her head at the thought of what had happened on this base almost four years ago as she pressed on,

"Too many of our global leaders have been taken over by a lust for money, power and control. Our existence has become necessary to maintain world peace and so our duty is to seek out any citizen – leaders included – who oppose or threaten goodwill and bring them to justice."

She shook her head, "When you think about it, it's like finding a needle in a haystack – a haystack of global proportion. It's a bit overwhelming, isn't it? Protecting not just your homeland, but the entire planet?"

She looked down at the podium,

"You know, my Dad, Colonel Jack 'Bullet' Dennis, taught me many things during his short time as my parent and mentor… but on this occasion, I believe the most important lesson he would want me to pass on to all of you is to not spend too much time focusing on the big picture. It will, indeed, overwhelm you and make the job seem impossible. Instead, focus on each step of one mission, one day at a time. He would also want me to say that on every mission, do the right thing, no matter what you think it may cost you."

She threw a fist firmly onto the podium as she spoke, "Let nothing – and I do mean nothing - stop you from protecting the human rights of the people of our world. Today, you and your families join an elite team that will live and work without borders. Today, you pledge to serve this new family with honor. Hold each other accountable and hold our pledge in the highest possible regard. Fly together, fly smart and of course, fly until your hair's on fire."

Everyone cheered, many pumping their fists in the air as their General finished, "Congratulations and god speed to you all."

Bo turned and gave salute to the newly named Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Elite International Military Forces before turning to her old friend, General John T. Walker and saluting him as well. He returned her salute as Admiral Walker and General Kemp stepped up to flank her. Bo knew she was receiving a new title and promotion having successfully graduated her first class from her newly formed training school, but no one had explained how that would happen. She could see Lauren, Martin, Manes, Hale, Kenzi, Tamsin and Stevie at the other end of the stage, seated with the other three training officers. Lauren looked a bit nervous, but the rest were smiling brightly.

"Ladies and Gentleman, we have one more order of business before the diplomas are awarded and assignments announced. Almost a year ago, I stood with your Commanding Officer in her new base headquarters… well, sort of. The room and your C.O. were both a mess. The facility was still under construction, so her desk was covered in sawdust. And, thanks to a rookie pilot's failure to correctly execute a maneuver, the plane where she occupied the second seat went into a flat spin. Thankfully, then Major General Dennis was able to recover just in time to make a hard landing. Both she and her rookie survived, but on that day in her office, her face was still covered in bruises and I believe an expression of confusion over budget sheets she was trying to balance."

Everyone laughed, Bo included. She hated crunching numbers to make sure her planes had the best equipment. Her wife demanded it and would accept no cuts to parts for her precious jets. Frankly, Bo agreed, but it was tough to find other places to cut that would give Lauren the money she needed to do her job. Thankfully, Stevie was great at finding ways to manipulate the budget in other areas to add more to LeMar's budget.

"I was in her office that day to promote her to the rank of Lieutenant General. A crash and a newly developed Elite Academy later, my colleagues and I have agreed that she has earned yet another promotion to go with her new title."

Everyone applauded, the men and women of the graduating class standing and voicing their approval as well. When the swell of applause faded to a dull roar, Walker continued,

"It is my honor as the newly appointed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Elite International Military Forces to announce the promotion in title and rank of Lieutenant General Ysabeau 'Stick' Lewis Dennis to General Ysabeau 'Stick' Lewis Dennis, International Military Commander of the Elite Air Forces."

Bo chuckled internally as Walker announced her title, thanking the heavens above that her title was at least a little bit shorter than his.

"Today, Commander Dennis will receive the insignia for Air Force Generals to be worn when attending country-specific events. At all other times, she will be adorned with the new insignia for the International Military Commander of the Elite Forces, her rank second only to those of the Joint Chiefs and equal to that of her fellow International Military Commanders, no matter what their branch or country as agreed upon by the nations that are members of the Elite International Military Forces."

Bo looked straight ahead as the new insignias were pinned to her shoulders by Burke and Kemp, though in all honesty, she was dying to know what they looked like. The only hint she'd had was when Tamsin let slip that Kenzi had been involved in the designing of the new hardware to make sure it didn't too closely resemble any of those worn by other leaders around the world.

"I have had the honor of placing many medals on Commander Dennis during her career. She wears, among many others, the Prisoner of War Medal, the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. Today, we add two more medals, making Commander Dennis the most decorated Air Force Officer of her generation. Commander Dennis, we bestow upon you, the U.S. Air Force Joint Service Commendation Medal for your work in bringing this Academy to life for the good of the world."

Bo stood at attention as Burke placed the medal on her chest, laughing internally as she always did when a man was being watched by an audience as he tried to avoid touching a female pilot's chest.

Walker continued, "And finally, the Medal of Honor."

Bo's eyes went wide as a hush fell over the crowd. She looked right and left to see if the President himself had come, but when she looked back to her Superior, he gave her a sad smile, whispering,

"He was busy again, Bo. Diverted to some other urgent event."

She nodded, "Right."

Walker looked up at the crowd, "While this honor is usually awarded at the White House by the President, I believe it fitting that it be awarded in front of this international community - a community which provided the very support that then-Brigadier General Dennis needed to bring the corrupt leaders of her country to justice. Despite the risk of certain death, Commander Dennis demonstrated exemplary leadership and decision making in an impossible situation to not only survive, but to do so while serving and leading with honor."

Bo's eyes teared up as she watched General Kemp pin the new medal next to the other. She gave salute and then stared down at the last piece of hardware, her mind racing back to one of the last conversations she'd had with her Father…

" _Dad?"_

" _Yes, Ysabeau?"_

" _I know what almost every medal on your uniform is for because I've studied them in the book you gave us."_

 _Jack laughed at his daughter's obsession with all things Air Force, "So are you telling me that you've been sitting on the bed not checking to see that the creases were in the correct places on my neatly pressed uniform?"_

 _She nodded._

" _So you were staring at a medal that you cannot identify instead?"_

" _No. I mean… well… I don't know. I have a guess, but I think it's wrong."_

 _Jack smiled, "You are a walking, talking encyclopedia of Air Force knowledge. I find it hard to believe there is something you wouldn't know. You know every plane, it's top speed and it's…"_

" _Dad! This is serious!"_

 _He laughed, "I'm sorry Ysabeau. What is it that my favorite co-pilot needs help with?"_

 _Bo pointed to the star, "That's the Statue of Liberty lady, right?"_

 _He nodded, "Very good!"_

" _And she has stars around her head, so I think it's called the Medal of Freedom? Because she represents freedom and the stars are all of our states being free, right?"_

 _He shook his head in reply, "Sorry, contestants! Wrong answer!" He made a buzzing sound, as he pinched Bo's nose, but she swiped his hand away._

" _So what is it, Dad? How did you get it?"_

 _Bo frowned as she saw her Dad's eyes get that look that they always got when he was thinking about something bad from his past. Her Mom had told her that when her Dad looked like that, he was just sad about things that had happened when he was in Vietnam. She watched as he sat down on the bed leaving the uniform between them,_

" _Do you remember your Mom mentioning the Vietnam War?"_

 _Bo nodded, "It was the worst one, right?"_

" _For me, yes it was." He nodded, "That's when I got that medal."_

" _So you helped free the prisoners? Is that what the liberty part is?" Bo asked._

 _Jack shook his head, "I'm afraid not, sweetheart. Many of my friends were left behind there as prisoners of war. They never returned home and we still don't know what happened to them."_

" _Really? That's terrible, Dad! Aren't we friends with Vietnam now?"_

 _Jack nodded, "We are, but I guess most of the people who were holding the prisoners are long gone now. It was a very, very long time ago, Ysabeau."_

 _Bo nodded, "So what's the medal?"_

 _He reached over and unpinned the medal from his uniform, handing it to Bo, "This is the most precious medal I've ever received. It was a reminder of my purpose. It was a reminder that while the world seemed to be going crazy during the war, I was still doing the right thing."_

" _Did you think you weren't?" Bo asked._

" _There were times where I wasn't sure, sweetheart. You see, the people here at home thought it was wrong to send soldiers there, but we were following orders. It's what a soldier does. So me and my friends… well, we had a pact of sorts. We made a promise that we would always evaluate our orders and try to do the right thing."_

" _Honor! Right?"_

 _He nodded, "Honor is right, Sweetheart. It's the single most important character trait a pilot can possess, Ysabeau. Never forget that." He reached out and took the medal, replacing it on the uniform, "This medal has a 5-pointed star, each tipped with trefoils and every point has a crown of laurel and oak. On the star, there are 34 smaller stars that surround Lady Liberty. This whole thing is taken from the Air Force Coat of Arms. Do you remember what that is?"_

 _Bo nodded, "Remember we did one in school for our family?"_

 _Jack smiled, "I do! You did a great job representing the most important parts of our family."_

" _The Air Force was on there!"_

" _It was. Thank you for adding it."_

" _If it's important to you, it's important to all of us, Dad."_

 _He smiled, looking back down at the medal, but Bo spoke first,_

" _So there's eagle claws on that baton with pilot wings and thunderbolts. Then it says 'Valor' on the bar. The ribbon is blue, of course, and there's stars on the ribbon too. So what's it called?"_

" _The Medal of Honor. It's my greatest achievement. It reminds me that no matter what was going on around me, I did the right thing. I conducted myself in a manner worthy of our family name and of the Air Force. No matter what happens, it's the most important thing a pilot can do, Ysabeau. Always remember that. If anything ever happens to me, know that I was doing what I thought was right."_

" _But nothing will happen, right Dad?" Bo asked, her eyes hopeful._

 _He smiled, "If my jet has fuel and control systems, I'll make it home, sweetie."_

Bo shook out her thoughts when she heard a throat clear. She looked up to see her boss staring down at her,

Walker leaned in and whispered, "He's so proud of you, Stick. He's watching and he's proud of you."

She nodded, "I know… but I still miss him every day."

"Me too." He nodded, "Let's get these diplomas out."

Bo nodded and set her mind to the task at hand…

 _ **Three Hours Later, Lewis Dennis Residence…**_

Lauren was the first to enter the house. She immediately kicked off her heels, tossing each shoe off of her toe onto the shoe mat just inside the door. A quiet groan of relief escaped as her bare feet hit the floor. She grinned as she removed her coat and recalled her conversation with her newest software engineer, Heather Weller.

"What are you smiling about?" Bo asked, gripping Lauren's coat from behind and taking the hangar from her hand.

"Thank you." She smiled, "I was thinking about my conversation with Heather Weller."

"I'm glad she worked out. Jill was so excited for her Mom and she was so proud of her Dad for graduating from the academy."

Lauren nodded, "They both earned it. She's got some fantastic ideas for new security upgrades."

"Kenzi said her resume was impressive." Bo said, as she carefully placed her hat on the closet shelf and hung her own coat. She locked the door and set the home alarm before following Lauren up the stairs to their bedroom. It had been a long day, a very long military dinner with all of the pomp and circumstance a graduation could muster in the international community. Both women were exhausted and ready to start their four-day weekend.

"What Kenzi couldn't tell you was that Mrs. Weller was unemployed because he-who-shall-not-be-named had caught her catching him breaching security protocols and was about to report him. She threatened her family if she didn't resign."

"Are you serious?" Bo asked, pulling her shirt tail from her pants before removing her tie and belt.

Lauren nodded, "Evony just unsealed the court records for military eyes only. Kenzi placed the file on your desk, but knew you probably wouldn't get to it until Tuesday when we were back at the base."

"Okay. Give me the cliff notes version?" Bo asked, sitting down to take off her shoes. Lauren tossed her the shoe brush which Bo caught, "I'm skipping the shine tonight. I have to polish them on Monday. The rain came in just in time to make a mess of the hem of my pants too. These are going to need the dry cleaner."

Lauren nodded, "I'll take them in tomorrow with the rest of your uniforms."

Bo shook her head, "I can take care of my own uniforms, Lauren. You're my wife, not my maid."

The blonde laughed, "Bo, I have three dresses and two coats there that have to be picked up. I offered to drop them off because I have to go there anyway. Besides, I want you to sleep in tomorrow."

Bo scowled, "And you don't need to sleep in? Lauren, we've been burning the midnight oil for three solid weeks now. We're both taking tomorrow to sleep in. The dry cleaner is open until five o'clock. We'll go there on our way to pick up take out."

"Take out?" Lauren asked.

Bo nodded, "Yes. We're not cooking this weekend. We're going to lounge around, clean some things that need cleaning, pay our bills and lay low. Maybe we can go to a movie if we feel like getting out?"

Smiling, Lauren nodded, "Sounds perfect."

"Great. Now tell me about Mrs. Weller."

Lauren shrugged, unbuckling her belt and pulling off her pants and panties in one go before putting on a pair of sleep shorts. Across the room, Bo did much the same as she listened intently to her wife,

"She was a security software engineer for the Department of Defense. Kenzi had worked with her on several occasions when people were trying to hack into the Department of Justice servers. It was actually your little sisters' recommendation that got her the second interview. Heather hadn't put her work with the D.O.D. on her resume since the records were sealed."

Bo nodded, "Good to know Evony got the records."

Lauren nodded, "She ran into her on base the day she was coming in for the first interview. Heather explained her predicament and Evony agreed to make a few calls on her behalf to help her to show her true qualifications. Once I knew where she'd worked before, it was a no-brainer to give her a phase three interview."

"That's the one where they actually have to out-hack Kenzi?"

Lauren nodded, "No small task. Your sister's got serious hacking skills."

Bo laughed, "Yea, well don't tell too many people about that."

"Or her lock-picking skills?" Lauren chuckled, entering the bathroom to brush her teeth.

"I talked to Jill at the dinner. She said things have been much better at home. Her Mom is really excited about her new job and they're both working on adjusting their attitudes about Austin's work with the squadron."

Lauren rinsed her mouth and blotted her face with a towel before she replied, "They both said they actually feel better that he's flying with such an elite squadron of pilots. Their rationale is that better pilots make better odds for him to come home safe and sound."

Bo spit into the sink, before she spoke, her mouth covered in toothpaste, "That is a logical conclusion aside from the obvious."

"Obvious?" Lauren asked.

"He's turned into an incredible pilot. He just needed the experience of flying with calmer pilots who know how to communicate as a team. I'd fly with him any day."

Lauren nodded, pulling back the covers on the bed, "I'm proud of all you've accomplished, Bo. In a years' time, you've managed to raise an entire crop of mini-me's."

Bo slid in beside her wife, "All comparisons aside – because they're really getting embarrassing now – they really are a great group of people."

Lauren laughed, rolling over and draping an arm over her wife's abdomen, "They are. After that first day of totally screwed gear boxes, I thought we were in serious trouble. Now, it seems like the planes come back better than they went out."

Nodding, Bo agreed, "Rage and Papa have been on top of them about keeping their planes well-groomed."

"It sure makes turn-around time for flight repairs a lot shorter." Lauren agreed, her fingers tracing Bo's skin.

"It was a great ceremony, huh?" Bo asked.

Lauren looked up at her wife, giving her a smile, "It was, Sweetie. I loved seeing everything from the stage. Everyone just looked so… respectful and honorable. I think this class will always be special to all of us."

Bo nodded, "You never forget your first, right?"

Lauren grinned, "So they say." She paused a moment, seeing her wife's eyes hold a hint of sadness, "You thought of your Dad while you were up there today."

"I did. I'm not sure why I brought him up in my little speech… I didn't mention him in the original."

Lauren had heard the original several times, "You threw your speech away and spoke from the heart so of course he came up. He's a huge part of you, Bo."

"He's the one who taught me everything I needed to know about being a good pilot. You know, everyone talks about being a soldier that others can be proud of, but my Dad always told me it was more important what I thought about myself. He said that if I could look in the mirror at the end of every day and be proud of my appearance, thoughts, words and actions, then I was a good pilot."

"You're a great pilot." Lauren smiled, but Bo shook her head,

"All of these people that call me The Legend call me that because of what I can do in a plane. But to me, that's got very little to do with being a great pilot. To me, it's all about the source of the choices that I make while I'm in that plane. Do the right thing… always. It was pounded into my head and you know what?"

"What?" Lauren asked.

"My Dad was right. Doing the right thing means my choices and actions will always come from a place of honor. And having honor is what makes a soldier great."

Lauren grinned, squeezing Bo tight, "You're all of those things and so much more to me, Bo."

Bo wrapped her arms around Lauren, placing a light kiss on her forehead, "You make me better, Lauren. You make me stronger, calmer, kinder, and more. I'm so grateful for all that you've brought into my life."

Lauren smiled, "I love you, Bo and I'm so proud to be your wife."

Bo nodded, "I'm so proud to be your wife, Lauren. And I swear to you, just as I work to bring honor to my actions in my aircraft, I will always work hard to bring honor to our marriage."

Leaning down, she captured Lauren's lips in several long, soft kisses before pulling back to look upon the beautiful face of the woman she'd come to love with all that she was.

"Make love to me, Ysabeau."

"Yes, Ma'am." Bo grinned, earning a bright smile from Lauren.

"At ease, soldier. I want to make love with my wife."

The couple laughed as Lauren rolled on top of her wife. The brunette grinned into the light kiss that the blonde expertly deepened. When the pair broke apart, Bo gave her partner a devilish grin,

"Well then, let me introduce you to plain old Bo Lewis Dennis. You know, the woman you married? She's not too neat, but not too clean. She likes walks in the park and dancing in the rain with her beautiful wife? And most importantly for your request, she's forgotten all about being a soldier for the time being and has pulled out her comprehensive book of knowledge."

"Book of knowledge?"

Bo nodded, "Yes. It's titled, The Joy of Sex with Doctor Lauren."

Lauren giggled, "IS it a thick book?"

Bo trailed kisses down Lauren's neck, moaning her reply, "Yes. Very, very thick. We'll be reviewing one chapter at a time for the rest of our lives, highlighting the really, really good parts so that we can go back to them on rainy days."

Lauren groaned at the sensation of her wife's hands traveling over the skin beneath her shirt, "Sounds like a best seller."

"I'm sold." Bo grinned, "Now, be quiet and let me read a chapter to you."

"I'm suddenly have more energy. I might make it through three or four chapters tonight."

Bo giggled, "Good thing. I think I'll tear up the bookmark and get lost in the pages."

"If you get lost, I'll always find you."

"I'll count on it." Bo replied, losing herself in her wife, allowing all thoughts of her past to drift away in favor of the promising future she and Lauren had been working towards for all these years. She pulled back for a moment and allowed her gaze to travel across the beautiful face of her wife,

"You know… five years ago, I was a loner who lived for the thrill of setting speed records. I boarded a commercial airline, for what I thought was an assignment that would leave me with a dead-end career. Now, I feel like I have to pinch myself. I've set aside the biggest nightmare of my childhood, achieved more than I'd ever imagined in my career – in large part, thanks to you – and now have the privilege of sharing a life with a woman who has given me more love and happiness than I'd ever dared to dream. You saved me, Lauren."

The blonde smiled, "It's funny. Because I was just thinking that five years ago, I thought my planes would be my closest companions. I thought my life was dull and boring. I thought I'd gone as far as I could with my career and that I would always be tied to a woman who would syphon off the rights to anything I ever invent. I felt trapped and even as I slowly suffocated, I couldn't find a way to break free… not until you came along. You see, my beautiful, stubborn, strong, amazing, honorable soldier… you saved me, too."

"I love you, Lauren."

"And I love you, Ysabeau." Lauren smiled, placing a gentle kiss on Bo's lips, "Now, what do you say we get back to chapter one."

Bo grinned, "Good idea."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **A/N 2:**_ _Thank you all so much for following along, reviewing,_ _ **helping me with my French skills**_ _, sharing the emotional highs and lows this story evoked for you, checking in on me when I disappeared for a time, enduring my long chapters and for giving me a virtual family to escape to when I'm tired of the real world._

 _To my Military readers – thank you so much for allowing me poetic license and lending me your understanding for anything that was not "real world military". I truly hope there was nothing that offended. I remain ignorant to many things military, but am truly grateful for those who serve to protect their countries from those who would do them harm._

 _To my fellow writers who offered suggestions, I am grateful for your insight._

 _To KZ – thanks for the midnight texts asking me for updates – it kept me going._

 _To my Twitter Public Relations Department– you're the BEST! Thank you for spreading the word about this story and sharing a laugh or two - stimpy8er, TJ_Kiwi, BadassMer, shyone65, LewisStark74 (thank you for trusting me!), Patriotsgirl011 (see... no reason to be scared!), ZoieFanAnna2, TerriHayes8 and MAGINELI (who also sends adorable nephew pics! #Roo #Finn) and anyone else I need to apologize for missing!_

 _You know, for all of the bad ways that social media can impact the mental health of the teens I work with, you are all a reminder of the good that social media can do – not to mention how much smaller our world can become by allowing us to reach across oceans and continents to find good people to share the things we love. So happy I found the Faemily to laugh and share a little slice of life with. Thanks, ya'll!_

 _May you all have a fantastic New Year! For me, hopefully it will bring the sequel to Finding Our Way in fanfic and my first published book. Not sure which one will come first, but know that if I disappear for a spell, that's what I'm up to!_

 _Best wishes,_

 _Cuddles_


End file.
